The Aftermath
by Amelia Louisa
Summary: When Bea wakes up in hospital, she has a few hurdles to overcome to get her life back on track. She will need the help of her friends, those on the inside and on the outside, but with determination and alot of help, will Bea be able to take her future into her own hands and get her happily ever after? Ballie & Fridget fluff included - be warned :)
1. Chapter 1

Bea's eyes fluttered open before she thrust them closed again with a grimace as the light in the room stung at her eyes, a jolt of pain rushing to her brain and blending behind her eyes and bridge of her nose.

With a conscious effort she kept her lids tightly sealed as she tried to focus on the sounds around her. Despite the sharp jolt of pain that ran through her head just moments ago, her brain felt fuzzy, almost like her entire head was filled with cotton wool. She realised her internal voice was slow as her mind struggled to process her thoughts quickly enough. She tried to silence the voice inside her head to allow her brain to focus on the sounds around her.

Despite a soft constant buzz in the background, a beep echoed monotonously every few seconds. She recognised the sound but couldn't place it, she strained against the boundaries of her muddled brain and tried to force it to remember what the source of the sound was. The harder she tried to force herself, the more anxious she felt as the memories wouldn't materialise on demand. She realised that the distance between the beeps had shortened causing a faster recurring beep.

"Ms. Smith, can you hear me?" The voice was not one she recognised, although it felt warm, and comforting and homely.

She tried to open her mouth to answer, but only a soft groan erupted from her dry lips. Her throat scratching against the effort causing a cough, which quickly developed into a hyperventalated choke.

She felt a warmth behind her neck before a pressure lifted her head away from the softness she was resting against. Her throat instantly improved a little as she pulled in deep gasps of air. The next thing she felt was a cool moistness against her lips.

With a satisfied and thankful groan, she attempted to open her eyes again, starting with just a few millimetres to allow her eyes to adjust to the light before opening them fully. She tried to glance at the person supporting her head, but a fuzzy form was the only thing stood before her.

She blinked her eyes a few times, feeling the sand and grit being forced around her heavy eyes. After a few more blinks, her surroundings finally began to materialise as her eyes began to gain focus.

She looked to the woman stood before her, a warm smile on her face as a pair of blue eyes glanced almost questioningly at her.

"Feel better?" The woman asked as she eased Bea back down against the pillow before moving to raise the back of her bed so that she was resting in a seated position.

Bea's lips opened to speak, but remembering her last attempt she changed her mind and instead nodded.

With her newly achieved vision, she glanced around the room, left to right, taking in the machinery, the beige walls, the window with shuttered blinds, a tall sky blue curtain and finally a woman wearing navy scrubs.

'Hospital' her internal voice called triumphantly. 'The beeping was the damn heart monitor... wait, why the hell am I in hospital?'

Upon noticing Bea glancing at her surroundings, her facial features expressing the internal battle that waged on behind the frail woman's eyes, the nurse decided it was time to try and explain things to her patient.

'Ms. Smith...' she started.

'Bea' the red heads voice interrupted, nothing but a gravelly gasp.

"Bea..." the nurse corrected with another warm smile "you're in hospital, you had an accident... can you remember having the accident?"

Bea thought for a second, her brain still feeling slow as she tried to force herself to remember the last thing before she woke up. After a few moments she began to tire mentally from the effort and gave her head a soft shake when she decided to give up. She moved her right arm to raise it to her face to rub her stinging eyes, but after it raised a few inches, it met a solid resistance.

Looking down to see what her arm was snagged on, she was confused to see her arm restrained at the wrist by some kind of material. Glancing to her left arm she saw the same thing around its wrist. She traced the material from her wrist till it connected to the metal sidings on the bed.

"Bea, do you remember where you lived before the accident?" The nurse frowned, concern filling her as she watched her patient intently.

Bea tried to force her memories again, her eyebrows cinching into a tight knot when she failed to recall her living arrangements. She began shaking her head, unsure herself if the shaking was in answer to the question directed at her or in confusion of the situation she found herself it.

'why the hell am I in hospital? Why the hell am I restrained to the bed? Why am I struggling to remember where I live or what happened' Bea's internal voice began racing, the panic evident to herself as she was forced to listen to it. The fog inside of her mind lifting enough to allow her to think, but not enough to allow her to recall any memories other than her name, Bea Smith.

"Ok, you were in an altercation which resulted in you being stabbed 17 times. Each incision was in your abdomen, of the 17, each was deep enough to penetrate something internal. Are you following so far?" the nurse asked softly, trying to speak slowly and calmly. When the red head nodded she continued.

"the internal injuries you sustained were severe, you were rushed to this hospital by an ambulance, in which you coated several times… but you fought like hell to stay alive, you're one tough cookie" the nurse paused again to allow Bea the opportunity to digest all the information being thrown at her.

"one you arrived we rushed you straight into the OR and after sedating you, we opened you up. Of the 17 wounds, 13 penetrated your intestines, 2 into your kidney and two managed to hit just muscle. Now, we managed to patch up the muscle, there are several internal stitches which will hold the muscle together to allow it to heal."

With a deep breath, the nurse prepared to delve into the deeper medical report.

"now, we attempted to repair the kidney but unfortunately it sustained too much damage to repair, and so we had to remove it. You still have your right kidney, and with a maintained diet you should find that it doesn't cause you too many issues in your future. Your intestines were a different story all together, to be frank, the damage was incredible. We began to stitch the wounds in hope we could repair your intestines, unfortunately three days after the operation, you coated and we had to rush you back into the OR and discovered that the stitches had ruptured." The nurse paused again to allow Bea more time to digest the information, her face was beginning to pale slightly as she stared off towards her feet, her eyes full of haze. The nurse handed her Styrofoam cup of water, and gained Bea's attention before handing it to the thankful woman.

"when we got back in there, we discovered that the ruptured stitches on the whole had caused more damage. Unfortunately there wasn't enough viable tissue to be able to restitch them, and so we had to begin cutting out parts around the wounds and reconnect them to viable tissue. Now in order to allow the new stitches time to heal, we have had to insert a tube that will direct from your small intestine, which only received three minor wounds, which the original stitches held. The pipe will lead all your fecal waste direct to a bag at the side of the bed, which we change out daily. This stops any feaces from travelling through your large intestines, and allows the incisions chance to heal."

The nurse stopped to allow Bea chance to catch up. She stood silently as she made work of noting Bea's stats on her chart.

"any questions?" the nurse asked finally having recognized the alert look on Bea's face.

"How?" Bea asked eventually.

"I'm afraid I can't give you the answers to that, but there is a guard just outside who will be able to fill you in" the nurse smiled warmly, she had heard rumors about the notorious Bea Smith from the news and other medical staff, but the woman laid before her was not at all what she expected.

"any medical questions?" the nurse prodded softly.

"why can't I remember?" Bea asked.

"well we will have to run several tests to confirm, however I suspect what you are experiencing is a mild form of amnesia which is occurring due to your body being in a medically induced coma for the past month" the nurse soothed hoping not to add any further worry to the patient.

"right well, if you don't have any further questions for me, I will go and let your guard know that your awake and have some questions" the nurse awaited for Bea to nod her response.

"someone will be along shortly to take you for the scans we talked about. Once we have a diagnosis I will be able to determine further what we are looking at and how to manage it. I will catch up with you soon, just press the buzzer if you need anything" the nurse nodded towards the buzzer clipped next to Bea's restrained hand before leaving the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Two weeks had passed since Bea awoke from her medically induced coma, two long weeks comprised of long quiet days of watching walls and listening to the rhythm of her heart rate to the sound of a beep.

She had spent every moment trying to force herself to remember. The guard that had been posted on the day she woke up had filled her in on who she was, why she was there and why she was in hospital. For days her head had swam afterwards as she tried to piece it all together. She had spun the information around her head every way possible to try and fit the words to herself, but despite all the evidence she had been shown, she just couldn't believe that she was a cold blooded killer.

She glanced at the ring binder laid on the table. The nurse, who she now knew was called Stacey, had taken her time collecting articles from the internet, everything she could about the notorious Bea Smith, printing it all off and composing it into a folder for the convict in hope that it would help prompt the woman's memories to return. Days later she had brought in a portable dvd player with a disk full of clips downloaded from youtube, each clip a news segment starting from the announcement of her arrest, through her court case and on to all snippets of gossip from her incarceration since.

However still, there was no recollection. She had been visited by a short, strict looking woman who went by the name Vera Bennett, who had informed her that she was the governor of Wentworth prison. After several visits, the governor had agreed to remove the restraints from her wrists and instead be restrained by one ankle, for security purposes.

A second visitor arrived by the name Bridget who had informed Bea that she was the counsellor at the prison. She had stayed only an hour on that first visit, spending most of the time jotting things down in a notebook. Since the initial visit however, she began staying longer and her visits felt less official each time. After her third visit she had begun bringing gifts in… magazines, books, an iPad loaded with game apps, plenty of things to help pass the time between receiving the little visitors she had. By the fifth visit in just over a week, Bridget had brought a companion along to visit her, who had greeted her with a painful, yet comforting, hug and a huge smile.

Her visitor went by the name Frankie, and she was told that they had been incarcerated together. From the stories she had been told, they had started out as enemies, building into a mutual respect which eventually blossomed into a strong friendship.

Bridget and Frankie had spend endless hours over the last week, telling stories to Bea about her escapades in prison and her friends who were waiting for her back in H1. Frankie had been spending time visiting one of their mutual friends every other day to update them on Bea's progress.

It was just passing 6pm when a light tap on her door roused her from her musings, she glanced up just in time to see the two women on her mind enter the room, one carrying a briefcase and the other carrying an overnight bag.

Frankie instantly went to give Bea a hug and kissed the top of her head affectionately.

"How's the patient today? Feeling up to a prison break yet?" Frankie grinned causing Bea to grin back.

"I wish… this place is driving me insane, I have never been so bloody bored in my life!" Bea exclaimed "well I don't think I have anyway!" Bea smirked causing Frankie to laugh.

"Frankie, don't encourage her to be thinking about escaping or these little visits will have to stop" Bridgit grinned, placing the overnight bag on the table and making herself comfortable in a seat.

"What's in the bag? A saw to cut the cuffs on my ankle?" Bea grinned, throwing Bridget a smirk, knowing the prison worker enjoyed the banter but couldn't be overheard discussing prison breaks with a convicted criminal.

"Ha ha no! It's actually some of your things. After our chat yesterday I managed to hunt down your lawyer today and with Gidge's help as a prison official, we managed to talk him into allowing us access to a storage container which is holding some items from your estate." Frankie informed her proud of what she had been able to orchestrate in such a short amount of time.

"oh ok… thanks… so what's in the bag?" bea asked again, nervous about what could be produced.

"well let's take a look Queen Bea, shall we?" Frankie grinned mischievously, pulling a large leather bound book from the bag and handing it to the red head who held it in her hands for a few moments unsure of whether to start looking or not.

Upon noticing her friends discomfort, Frankie kicked off her shoes, and nudged onto the bed with Bea. She gently peeled the book from the smaller woman's hands and opened it to the first page.

It was a picture of a very young looking Bea with man "That's your ex Harry" Frankie announced "I saw him visit you a few times, I don't know all the details, but I do know he was an abusive prick who hurt you" Frankie informed as she studied Bea who was looking intently at the picture of her smiling face. She absorbed what Frankie had said as she stared intently at the picture, the man in the picture was a complete stranger, in fact if she hadn't have been told that he was her ex, she wouldn't have been able to pick him out of a line up.

They flicked through the photo album, laughing at the photos it contained. Bea growing embarrassed as some of the fashion choices she had made. Bridget had started out content to just admire her partner sharing a special moment with her friend, but before long ended up sat on the opposite side of Bea participating in the laughter.

Frankie turned the page again, this time the picture was of a early twenties Bea laid in a hospital bed, she was wearing a large baggy t-shirt. Her hair was thrown up in a loose bun and she looked thoroughly exhausted. In her arms lay a tiny baby wrapped in a pale pink fleece blanket.

Unconsciously Bea gasped, her fingers reaching out to trace over the picture.

Beneath it was a tiny wrist band, on it written 'Baby Smith' along with a date and a weight. As her fingers traced the band a sole tear leaked from her left eye and rolled down her face. As she flicked through the next few pages, the trio sat in silence, each studying the pictures, but none as intently as Bea.

They turned to a page with a picture of a light blonde toddler sat in a high chair, Bea stood behind her beaming with happiness as she trimmed the young child's hair. A label underneath it informed Bea that it was Debbie's first haircut and a date, in the top corner of the page a hole had been punched out and a small silk bag had been attached. Bea opened the bag carefully and pulled out curl of hair with a pink ribbon tied in a bow in the center. She pulled the curl to her face, closing her eyes she inhaled its scent.

Her stomach churned at the emotions running through her, she still couldn't remember anything but she felt a burning of despair deep within her chest and heart when she thought about the daughter called Debbie she couldn't remember. She felt Frankie's strong arms encircle she shoulders, she felt dark hair against her face as Frankie's head leaned against her own. A hand softly began rubbing soft, warm circles across her back, she absently realized that the back rubber must have been Bridget.

"God I wish I could just remember already!" Bea snapped.

"Give it time Bea, your body has been through a lot and you need to let it heal. The doctors are confident your memory will come back, it's just going to take time" Bridget soothed.

Three hours had passed as the three women flicked through numerous photo albums and drawings that Debbie had done at school and that Bea had done and saved. Eventually, with Frankie's stomach signaling its disapproval at not being fed yet, the two visitors decided it was time to head out. They would leave the bag and its contents with Bea for her to look through at her leisure.

"before we go, I have a surprise for you tomorrow" Frankie announced, a mischievous grin on her face.

"a cake with a large file in it?" Bea smirked as Bridget laughed softly and shook her head.

"Better" Frankie announced as she moved off the bed and slid back into her shoes.

"I have taken the day off of work, and managed to talk Gidge here into convincing the governor that it would be beneficial for your memory and recovery for you to have some visitors. We couldn't push it too much, but she has allowed Liz, Maxie, Booms and Allie out on visitation" Frankie grinned, looking forward to being able to sit in a room with all of her friends again.

"Gidge has wrangled it too so that she will be on escort with Will…. Jackson, that guard who you had an alliance with… so it will be a fun day, and because I love you so much… the hospital has even agreed to let me bring in some cakes and they will even let you have a little one" Frankie couldn't contain her excitement.

"that's… err…. That sounds great Frankie!" Bea forced a smile.

"Nervous?" Bridget asked softly, laying a hand on Frankie's forearm to calm her down.

"no…. No… I mean yeah… kinda… I mean these people all know me… and I have no idea who they are… it may just be, you know… awkward." Be admitted.

"Queen Bea, these girls are our family, they love you, they miss you, they are worried sick about you. They just want to come and see that your alive with their own two eyes… nothing bad is going to happen and believe me, the awkwardness will last seconds, then you will feel completely comfortable with them" Frankie promised, the seriousness on her face expressing the truth in her words. Her face cracked into a smile as the mischief returned to her eyes.

"you may way to get the nurse to give you a bed bath in the morning… you don't want your girlfriend thinking that you have let yourself go" Frankie grinned as Bea's cheeks reddened.

"I don't even know the woman… I can't believe I'm gay…. And with a woman I don't know and have never met… what is she like?" Bea asked nervously. Her shyness taking over her entire demeanor.

"I haven't met her" Frankie laughed "but you have told me plenty about her. You really fell for her, like one minute you're a hard arse and the next minute you were completely pussy whipped and a lovesick teenager" Bea frowned at Frankie's description trying to imagine herself behaving that way.

"its true" Bridget added. "we had several conversations about your feelings for Allie, they seemed genuine and strong… and although I can't discuss other inmates, it's no secret that I tell you Allie is worried sick about you, has been begging anyone she can for any information about you and begging to come visit you. She misses you and is worried sick about you"Bridget added, hoping to settle Bea about how the other woman felt for her.

"Right… so your telling me that a crack head prostitute got me too fall madly in love with her, swear off men, change teams, and act like a lovesick puppy? It sounds like something was off about this whole scenario" Bea admitted quietly.

"just shut up, take my advice to make yourself look pretty tomorrow ok? You won't regret it" Frankie promised with a twinkle in her eye.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N - apologies for the huge delay between posting chapters 1 and 2, I got bogged down with writing and forgot to actually post lol! anyways, this is chapter 3, there are some huge story lines coming in the future (i'm currently writing chapter 18) and lots of fluff between Ballie and Fridget to keep us all going. I'm changed direction with the story from where it was originally meant to be, just to give you an idea of what to expect (SPOILERS) This was going to just be a few chapters of Fluff as Bea recovers. but after a dream i had, i decided to alter that into making this fic more about Wentworth overall, so we will be seeing a lot more of our favorite characters, as well as some not so favorites. Bea will be asking a huge favor from Frankie, which will result in Frankie having to do a lot of work that will impede on her time with Bridget. Alliances will be made, Traitors will be caught, and over all, you will have to join me on the journey to what will hopefully be a happy ending.

I hope you enjoy reading, and if you could take the time to drop me just a little review, they make my day and let me know that i'm on the right track with the story line.

Thanks all

AL

After a sleepless night, Bea lay grumpily in her bed playing a game on the iPad Bridget had brought in for her.

It was 9 am and she had just finished having her bed bath and change. The nurses had managed to get her sat in a chair whilst they stripped and changed her bed. Then had gotten her settled back in and comfortable. Her urine and feces bag had been changed out, and the nurses had even managed to spray a dry shampoo through her hair and brush her mane out for her. She felt a world better, but was in a world of pain deep within her gut from being moved around.

Frankie entered the room without knocking, a huge grin on her face as she smiled at the redhead.

"I see you took my advice, you scrub up well" Frankie laughed as she planted a kiss to Bea's head.

"I thought you were bringing the girls from the prison" Bea asked as she realized Frankie had entered alone.

"Desperate to see your girlfriend ay?" Frankie smirked as Bea tried to deny the accusation, but just making herself sound like a fumbling idiot. "they are in the room next door having a final search. Then they will be brought in and uncuffed. There will be a guard on the door all day and Gidge will be in here so they are taking the risk of trusting them to not cause a riot and break out"

Upon seeing Bea's concern etched all over her face, Frankie let out a roar of laughter "chill Queen Bea, they are your friends, they are good people, they are here only to check up on you because they love you" Frankie watched as Bea nodded uncertainly as the sound of the door opened behind her and the motley crew began to enter.

Liz came first, squealing with delight as her eyes laid upon Bea, she rushed over grabbing her hands and giving her a huge smile. "it's good to see you love!" her grin stretched even wider.

Next came Maxine, her head still wrapped in a head scarf, which Bea knew from Frankie's explanation was due to the woman going through chemo. "Bea! You look fantastic, you've had me worried sick!"

Boomer entered next "Bea" she grinned as she placed a large packet of biscuits down next to Bea and Liz's hands.

Bea smiled at the kind gesture, looking at each woman and trying to put faces to the names from Frankie and Bridget's description. There was one missing though, Bea sought out Frankie's eyes questioningly, wondering if the girl she had heard so much about had decided not to come.

Frankie smiled softly at Bea, reading her nervousness instantly, as she made to move to go check up on the blonde bombshell that she still couldn't believe Bea had bagged, she met eyes with her own blonde bombshell as she entered the room, her hand in the middle of Allies back as she pushed her gently into the room.

Bea's jaw dropped as she took in the blonde woman who had just entered with Bridget. She was looking down at the ground nervously, her blonde hair flowing softly into her face. In her hands was a huge bouquet of flowers.

Frankie raised her eyebrows questioningly at Bridget, who just smirked and winked in return before turning to Bea.

Bridget took turns introducing each person to Bea, trying to ease the awkwardness for the bedridden woman, but she couldn't hide the smirk when she realized Bea was paying her no attention, her eyes were firmly locked on the last prisoner to enter the room.

Allie, finally finding the strength to battle her nerves looked up and her eyes instantly met Bea's. She gasped a breath as her eyes lay upon the woman she never thought she would see again.

"I got you some get well flowers" Allie announced shyly. She had been fully coached on Bea's situation and warned that Bea may be a little standoffish with her whilst she tried to regain her memory. She was nervous as hell to look in Bea's eyes and see no recollection there. But as their eyes met across the room, she could see that Bea's eyes were full of desire, intrigue and want.

"your beautiful" Bea announced. "they…. They are beautiful. The flowers I mean… thank you" Bea groaned as the other occupants of the room tried to swallow their sniggers at Bea's reaction her girlfriend.

"are you saying she's not beautiful?" Frankie asked, receiving a glare from Bridget.

"no … I mean yes she's beautiful… well stunning… but I meant the flowers were beautiful…too" Bea muttered, her cheeks reddening further as the group of women around her laughed softly as their resolves cracked.

"sorry" Bea muttered self consciously before turning her attention to picking her fingernails.

"god this is going to be so much fun" Frankie announced, flinching when she received a playful slap from Bridget. "stop being a bitch Frankie!"

"Ouch!" Frankie threw a glare are Bridget, who returned a warning for her to behave.

"well, now that we have established that Allie is beautiful… and so are the flowers… who is up for a donut" Frankie giggled after receiving a glare from Bea.

Liz, Boomer and Maxine all made their way over to the large box Frankie was holding out. Allie took the opportunity to get a bit closer to Bea, placing the large display of blooms on her bedside table. Bea noticed for the first time the small 'get well soon' balloon poking out.

"how are you feeling?" Allie asked softly, sitting nervously on a chair besides the bed. The group of women trying their hardest to give the two lovers a moment of privacy whilst being intrigued to see Bea's reaction.

"I've been better…" Bea answered shyly.

"Frankie told me that you haven't been too well either. How are you going?" Bea asked sweetly. Her throat feeling dry as her nerves built up.

"I feel a lot better now. Especially seeing you… alive" Allie said, then cursed herself for being too obvious.

"I'm glad your feeling better" Bea finally replied, her eyes not once leaving Allies face.

The two women sat in silence, just staring at each other, both lost in their own worlds.

"this must be awful for you, not being able to remember and having all these new faces around you" Allie finally broke the silence, causing Bea to start.

"God it's like watching some trashy high school lesbian TV show" Frankie muttered receiving scowls from everyone but Allie who laughed softly.

"Sorry about her" Bea muttered, feeling completely mortified at Frankie's embarrassing antics.

"Don't, it's fine. You always used to tell me you felt like a teenager anyway" Allie smirked softly, enjoying the soft flush of Bea's cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I don't…" Bea trailed off feeling terrible that she couldn't remember a thing about the woman before her.

"don't apologize… you have nothing to apologize for. Just focus on healing, and we will work everything else out in time" Allie smiled softly, finding herself blushing a little as Bea's eyes softened.

"thanks" Bea muttered softly. Unsure what to do or say next. She glanced to Frankie for help, who immediately picked up on the situation and took control.

"ok… we need to help Queen Bea remember, so who has a funny story to tell her about herself?" Frankie asked as Bea groaned, doubting her judgment in asking Frankie for help.

The day wore on as the hours passed, the women sitting in a large circle as they chatted animatedly. Bea was fascinated by the stories she was being told, by the bond and friendliness between all the women who come from so many different backgrounds. She stole as many glances as she could at the beautiful blonde woman sat next to her, blushing profusely each time the blonde woman looked her way and caught her staring.

"well I'm afraid it's time we got moving ladies" Bridget announced sadly, wishing she had the power to grant the women to stay for longer. Each woman bit their tongue on their comments, knowing that Bridget had gone out of her way for them as a favor to Frankie and it wouldn't be fair to complain to her.

The women began saying their goodbyes, each giving Bea a gentle and slightly awkward hug before congregating at the door. The day had gone a long way into Bea getting reacquainted with each women, and she felt comfortable, welcomed and accepted by them all, but in all reality they were still strangers up until that morning.

Allie offered a shy wave. "I will see you soon Bea, stay strong and get better soon yeah?" Allie smiled when Bea nodded nervously.

"I'm just going to shut this curtain and give you two love birds some privacy… remember we will be able to hear though, so no funny business" Frankie threw a wink at Bea before she slid the curtain shut.

"Ouch, the hell was that for?" Frankie complained after a thud echoed in the room.

"Your as subtle as a spade to the face Frankie, embarrassing them both like that" Bridget nagged much to the amusement of the other lady lag's.

Bea and Allie grinned at each other as they listened to the antics on the other side of the curtain. Both too nervous to say anything.

"Thanks again for the flowers Allie, they really are beautiful and it was really sweet of you" Bea finally broke the silence. Glancing at the bouquet again, wondering if she had ever seen such a large spray before.

"That's ok, I just wanted you to have something near you to remind you of me and that I'm thinking of you and hoping you get better soon" Allie murmured as she perched on the edge of the chair that she had just vacated.

"I know this probably sounds silly to you, but it was really nice meeting you today" Bea smiled sweetly.

"well I have to say that today's meeting was much nicer than our original meeting" Allie smirked, remembering Bea catching her checking her out in the shower before she slammed Allie into the shower wall, cutting her eyebrow before threatening her whilst her wet and extremely naked body was pressed up against her back.

"why, how did we originally meet?" Bea asked, intrigued by the smile playing on Allies beautiful face. As she asked the question, her eyes focused solely on Allies lips and didn't tear away until Allie had finished recounting the tale.

"wow… I sound like a bitch, I'm sorry I hurt you" Bea frowned.

"don't be, it was a misunderstanding. And your not a bitch. Your amazing, and beautiful, and caring, and sweet. And when no one else is around you are so adorable and loving and kind" Allie trailed off, stopping herself before the word attentative came out, she flushed slightly as images of the only time they had made love flashed through her mind.

"wow… well so far all I have heard is stories bout me bashing people or killing people" Bea frowned, she really wasn't comfortable with the person everyone was telling her she was. Allie was the first person to tell her something about her former self that didn't make her ashamed.

"I have plenty of stories about how beautiful you are inside and out, I will tell you some next time I see you" Allie promised.

"when will that be?" Bea asked without thought, flushing when she realized how open she had been.

"I'm not sure, as soon as possible, but it all depends on vinegar tits. I would visit every day if I could"

"i… I would like that" Bea stammered, the butterflies in her tummy going crazy.

"we've gotta go guys" Frankie announced from behind the curtain.

"one more minute" Bea announced without thinking. She smiled softly at Allie who returned her smile. They sat silently for a few moments.

"I should go before they handcuff me and drag me away" Allie finally broke the spell, Bea nodded, but her head dropped as her heart sunk.

"hey come on beautiful, I need you to keep smiling" Allie muttered, her hand cupping Bea's face instinctively. Bea leaned into the contact, her eyes closing as she enjoyed the sensation. Allie watched on, her heart in her mouth. She never for one moment expected this display of affection to happen today.

"Come on lovebirds" Frankie called causing Bea's eyes to flick open, meeting Allies they smiled bashfully at each other.

"Frankie, can I borrow your phone for a second?" Bea asked sweetly, as Frankie pulled open the curtain.

"Yes because we are already running late now so why not make us even later by making a call" Frankie shook her head in confusion.

"I want to take a picture of me and Allie for you to print for me" Bea announced shyly.

"Great idea!" Frankie said, tossing her phone to Allie, who upon Bea's patting of the bed, reached up to join her. They both smiled into the camera as Allie took a couple of selfies. She laid the phone down, glancing into Beas eyes, her breath catching in her throat at being so close to her love after so long.

"I don't expect you to say it back, I know things are going to take some time for you to get better and back on your feet, but I want you to know that I love you, so very much, and I will be waiting for you to come home, and will help you and support you with anything, and I'm extremely proud of how well you are handling all of this" Allie whispered before leaning in and planting a long kiss on Bea's forehead, upon not feeling Bea pull away she rested her lips there for a few moments, wrapping her arms around Beas shoulders. She didn't notice Bea pick up the phone and snap a few more pictures of the moment, hoping that they would turn out well and she could have a permanent reminder of the moment.

"come on you two break it up" Frankie smiled as she pulled back the curtain, this time her smile was full of sadness and apologies for having to break up the moment.

"before you all go, do you think it would be ok to get a group photo?" Bea asked nervously. All of the women agreed and carefully crowded in around Bea. They all smiled into the photo as Frankie pulled a few shots before announcing "funny faces" and snapping more pictures.

Bridget got up and swiped the phone. "Now a few without the prison official that shouldn't be seen getting that friendly with the prisoners" Bridget smirked at the group who laughed, thoroughly enjoying seeing this of their counsellor.

"From what I hear, you got friendlier than that". All the women stopped and looked to the source of the voice and Bea smiled shyly.

"Bloody hell red… payback is brutal" Frankie laughed, the rest of the group joining in the laughter when they realized the comment had been taken with jest.

Bridget shook her head, choosing to ignore the jibe as she snapped several photos, just happy to see her other half so happy.


	4. Chapter 4

Three more weeks had passed, with Allie and Liz only being allowed to visit once more, Liz as a peer worker, and Allie through constant badgering. Maxine had been allowed a few solo visits whilst she was at the hospital for chemo and check ups.

Today however, Bea was being allowed back to Wentworth. Four days ago she had her fecal bag removed. And had been managing well with the pain killers. Yesterday her catheter had been removed, allowing her for the first time in months to get up and walk. She had been given a zimmer frame type contraption, which she wasn't happy about, but the medical team had warned her of the importance of not falling or over stretching and putting too much stress on her healing wounds.

She was healing well, but the next few weeks would see her taking it easy and resting and allowing her body more time to recover.

She packed her bags as Will Jackson carried things over to the bed. He had talked the governor into allowing Bea to take a few items back to the prison to help her with her memory. Bea had refused to take any precious items into jail and risk them being stolen or destroyed and so she had packed everything back up with Frankie two nights ago, Frankie taking with her a list of photos to get copies of before putting Bea's belongings back in safe keeping.

Will pulled the pictures and get well cards from the cork board behind the bed, smiling at the image of Bea's H1 visitors three weeks ago as the group crowded around Bea pulling faces. In the center, Bea was pulling a face, her body tilted towards the blonde girl that Will now recognized as Bea's partner. Allie had her hands together to make a heart shape as she kissed Bea's brow.

"good photo" Will commented, handing it to Bea who looked over it affectionately for the thousandth time since Frankie had gotten it printed and brought it for her.

"yeah" Bea smiled.

"You nervous?" Will asked carefully.

"Shitting myself" Bea admitted. Will had visited a fair few times, always bringing in a magazine and a small bar of chocolate, he took the time to fill her in on Wentworth gossip. He had used his bank card to subscribe to hospital TV to help Bea relieve the boredom, and when he was on guard she invited him to sit guard in her room and watch TV with her, the pair had rekindled their bond, Bea was sure that this screw was one of the good ones.

"don't be. Your going to be in your unit most of the time, the girls will be around you, you won't have to face anyone you don't want to, and if you have any issues you just get hold of me, or Bridget, and we will sort things out. Its going to be ok Bea" he soothed, his huge hand rubbing against her shoulder.

"Thanks Will… I guess I should get used to calling you Mr Jackson" she smirked.

"yeah that would probably be a good idea" he winked. Picking up her now zipped bag.

"time to go home" Bea said nervously.

"Allie has been bouncing off the walls the last few days" Will confided, hoping to take Bea's mind off her nerves. "She has had the girls cleaning every inch of the unit, and pestered the governor into getting a new mattress for your bunk. And new sheets, convincing the governor that if you got infections, you would be suing for a lot more than some bedding would cost." Will smirked, remembering the mutterings of Vera as she announced the changes to Bea's room to the other officers.

Bea let out a soft laugh. "Right well. Im to escort you down to the van. There's a shop on the way if you wanted to stock up on anything let me know and I will grab it and push it through inspection back at Wentworth" Will smiled as he held the door open for Bea to shuffle through slowly. She had been handcuffed to the zinmer frame, much to her annoyance.

An hour later, and Bea had experienced her 'first strip search. Vera had denied the other officers to do it, choosing to do it herself to allow Bea as much privacy a possible. She struggled to contain her shocked gasps as she viewed the still healing wounds across Bea's abdomen.

"it looks worse than it feels" Bea had admitted.

Vera had shaken her head in annoyance, apologizing once again for what Bea had suffered at the hands of the freak.

"Welcome Home!" chorussed from the unit as Bea slowly entered her home, glancing around it and trying to place it but failing. She looked at all the faces before her, only recognizing 4 of the 40 or so people. She felt a little overwhelmed, but Will's hand… Mr Jackson's hand, she corrected herself… on her lower back teased her forward into the waiting mass.

Everyone looked so happy to see her, filling her with confusion. She has been told she was top dog, a position she had fought hard for and was feared amongst the other criminals. These women looked relieved to have her back, not scared to have her back, it didn't make sense.

She felt her head swimming a little, her knees beginning to buckle beneath her. Just as gravity began to do its thing, she felt a strong pair of arms swoop her up and carry her towards a small room. Once inside she saw that there was a single bed against one wall. A sink at the end of the bed with a mirror on the wall above it.

Opposite the bed was a toilet, a large wooden unit for her clothes and not much else.

Mr Jackson lay her down softly on the bed, Allie and Maxine rushing in behind him to take over.

"Thanks sir!" Allie smiled sweetly at him as she placed the zimmer frame against the back wall before moving to fluff up Bea's cushions as Maxi eased Bea forward.

"No problem. Just shout up if you need me or have any issues" he nodded, did one last sweep of the room to satisfy himself that his friend would be looked after, then exited into a crowd of expectant faces.

"The queen is back on her throne" he announced, receiving a round of applause, he grinned at the absurdity of the situation.

"please remember that Bea is still recovering and she still hasn't gotten her memory back. Don't overload her… and for god's sake, don't everyone ask her what she remembers…. She remembers nothing, so don't waste your breath repeating the same question to her" Mr Jackson ordered, satisfied when the crowd of women nodded their understanding, he left them to it.

"hey beautiful" Allie smiled softly, enjoying the few moments of privacy Maxi had provided them whilst she went to remind the group of well wishers of the ground rules.

"Hey Alliecat" Bea grinned, happy to be in the company of her beautiful friend.

"Hey…. You remember?" Allie grinned.

"remember what?" Bea asked confused.

"oh… you always used to call me Alliecat" Allie stated sadly.

"sorry… it just felt like the right thing to say" Bea reached out her fingers to cup Allies face. Her fingers trembling.

"god your shaking so bad, do you need anything?" Allie commented.

"its just nerves… being this close to you, it kinda makes me nervous, but in a good way… like the anticipation of touching you, or you kissing my forehead…. Or you holding my hand, it's like anytime that might happen I get butterflies all over my body and I can't control the shaking" Bea admitted nonchalantly.

"wow… well so you know you can touch me whenever you want and for as long as you want. You can always hold my hand, and I will kiss your forehead as often as you need" Allie smiled warmly.

"Your very sweet you know… before the stab… the accident, there were times when it was like getting blood out of a stone, getting you to open up and relax and be yourself. You seem different now… more laid back… confident… relaxed almost" Allie confided.

"I'm just trying to act on how I feel, everything just feels so…. New. And confusing. And my mind struggles to keep up with it all sometimes, I can't trust my memories… all I can trust is how I feel… does that make sense?" Bea asked as she eased herself into the taller woman's embrace instinctively. Allie wrapped her arms around Bea, careful not to touch her wounds and cause her any pain.

"you can trust me too babe, whatever you need im here" Allie promised.

"I hear I have you to thank for this comfortable bed" Bea smirked as she saw Allie flush slightly.

"I wanted to make sure you were comfortable and weren't at risk of infection" Allie defended.

"I really appreciate it, I can't tell you what I was expecting to come back to. Thank you baby" Bea smiled sweetly.

"I like you calling me that" Allie grinned.

"it just slipped out" Bea confessed shyly.

"well feel free to let it slip out more often" Allie grinned cheekily. Kissing Bea on her temple as a knock resounded around the room and the well wishers began to take turns in welcoming Bea home.

Allie moved to a chair she had talked the governor into allowing her to put in Beas room, her heart pounding happily when Bea reached out to take her hand, squeezing it softly in support of the redhead as she interacted with the women of Wentworth


	5. Chapter 5

Bea had been home at Wentworth for three days and today she had her first physio appointment since returning. Yesterday the nurse had visited, helped her shower, inspected her wounds and checked up on her vitals. Happy with her progress, the nurse had agreed that Bea could take care of herself now, but would need monitoring whilst showering, and would require assistance with washing her hair.

All she needed to do now was rebuild her strength so she could walk without the zimmer frame, and get her memory back.

Physio was grueling as Bea was put through the paces. The physio working on rebuilding her weakened muscles that had deteriorated from weeks of being in bed. On freeing her stiffened joints. On repairing her posture, which was being affected by her body naturally moving into a position which created the least pain. The final area of work was the worst, and the hardest. The physio was attempting to help Bea repair and rebuild the muscle which had been damaged by the stabbing. The muscle had been greatly weakened when the screwdriver had pierced the muscle in several places. The surgeons had done a good job of stitching the massacred muscle back together, but it had been weakened greatly and now needed rebuilding from scratch at a pace that would not damage the muscle further.

Bea almost allowed her body to flop on her bed unhappily when she had returned to her room. Allie followed her in, sighing when she saw the defeated look in Bea's eyes.

"That bad?" Alli asked, frowning when Bea nodded and turned her back to the taller woman. Allie stepped forward, sliding her arms under Beas armpits, she circled her arm around Beas chest and pulled herself in tightly to the smaller woman, trying her hardest to absorb the pain and exhaustion for the woman she loved.

"baby I stink, I'm all sweaty" Bea complained, despite leaning back into the embrace, her head rolling back and to the side slightly to rest against Allies. If there was only one thing she had learnt since her return to Wentworth, it was that allies arms were the safest and warmest place in the prison, most likely in the world.

"want me to help you clean up?"Allie offered hopefully.

"that's ok,, I will manage" Bea stated shyly.

"No ill help. You know the nurse said you needed assistance… let me assist" Allie smirked. Bea nodded nervously, she had so far avoided Allie seeing her naked… or more importantly seeing the ugly collection of fresh scars dancing across her abdomen. She was nervous on how the younger woman would react.

"really, its fine" Bea tried again.

"Babe please, just let me help. I promise not to look if you don't want me too" Allie giggled, unaware of how close to the mark she was. Bea stiffly nodded her head, she grabbed her wash bag and robe and began the slow hobble towards the shower rooms, her body taking her there as if on auto pilot.

Once there, Allie checked that the showers were completely empty and the two women were alone. A groan of struggle from behind her caught her attention, she turned to catch Bea struggling to remove her jumper.

Edging forward, Allie took the jumpers hem and began lifting it, Bea stopped struggling in defeat when Allie began to help.

"just let me help babe, it's not for forever" Allie muttered close to Bea's ear from behind as she removed Bea's t-shirt, then undid her bra, sliding the straps down Bea's toned arms. Bea shivered slightly, Allie unsure if it was due to the cold or Bea's nerves.

Deciding to give Bea a second to recover, Allie spun around and turned the knobs for the shower, allowing the water to run for a few seconds before testing then adjusting the water to how she knew Bea liked it.

Satisfied the water was the perfect temperature, Allie turned to find Bea stood with a towel loosely wrapped around her.

"you nervous about me seeing you naked? Is my being here making you uncomfortable?" Allie asked, trying to hide the disappointment that was bubbling up within her like a volcano.

"yes… and no… I mean. I'm guessing you have seen me naked before"

"lots of times" Allie grinned cheekily causing Bea to giggle softly.

"I'm a little nervous about you seeing me naked, I won't lie… but it's mainly because.. well last time you saw me naked I wasn't covered in scars" Beas head lowered.

"Babe, your stunning, and beautiful and so incredibly sexy. A few scars aren't going to change that. And they aren't going to change how I feel about you" Allie promised.

After a few moments of silence Allie decided to break the tension.

"ok it's hardly fair for me to ask you to get naked in front of me, when I'm fully dressed. So let's even things up a bit" Allie smirked sexily as she reached for the hem of her t shirt and had it removed before she had even finished her sentence.

Bea made to speak, to tell Allie that it wasn't necessary, but upon seeing Allies chest, and slightly tones stomach, and her breasts covered by just a bra, her words lodged tightly in her throat causing her to stand staring with her mouth agape.

Allie studied the shorter woman's reaction, happy to see that it was the same as before Bea had lost her memory.

She slid her trousers down her legs, stepping out of them and kicking off her shoes. She stared intently as Bea's eyes examined the blonde woman before her stood in just a set of simple, plain black underwear.

She leant back and undid her bra, smiling sexily at Bea, whos face flushed as her breathing labored slightly.

Bending over slightly, she removed her underwear, kicking her pile of clothes to the side.

"that's better, it's more fair now" Allie grinned as Bea nodded her head as her eyes traveled all of Allies body. Allie closed the steps between them. Her left hand reaching up to cup Bea's cheek, to connect their eyes. Her right hand reached to hold the towel, gently she pulled it out of Bea's tight hold. The towel eventually dropped to the floor, the two women standing toe to toe, their eyes lost in each others.

Allie slid her hand down to Bea's hand, their fingers entwining. Making sure not to break their eye contact, Allie led Bea to the shower cubicle, smiling when Bea sighed contently at the feel of the water, the perfect temperature, cascading over her body.

"I'm sorry" Bea whispered self consciously.

"there's no need to be" Allie murmured, struggling to keep her eyes focussed above Bea's neck line.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself. Bea stepped back, releasing Allie's hand in the process, she nodded her head just the once to let Allie know it was ok for her to look.

Allie allowed her eyes to travel slowly down Bea's body, her glance lingering on her girlfriends breasts appreciatively. As the moved down they finally reached Bea's midsection. She stood staring. Holding her breath. Her face a statue. She didn't move at all, apart from the tears which filled her eyes and quickly spilled over.

"oh baby" Allie whispered sadly, the ugly scars across Bea's abdomen telling the stories of Bea's traumatic experience. Seventeen wounds. Each with several stitches to seal it. Two large incisions ran vertically down the left side of her body, evidence of the surgeon's access into her body to save her life.

Bea watched Allie's face studiously, paying attention for any sign of disgust or repulsion. Instead all she saw was Allie's heart breaking through her expressive blue eyes.

"it look worse than it is" Bea said, echoing the words she had given Vera a few days earlier.

"I just… I don't know how the hell you survived it… I'm just so bloody glad that you did" Allie admitted. Her eyes returning to Bea's who smiled self consciously. Allie stepped in close, embracing Bea, her love and adoration for the older woman flowing through the hug.

"thank you" Bea croaked, trying to ignore the physical reaction her body was having at the feel of Allie's naked body pressed tightly against hers.

"why are you thanking me?" Allie asked.

"for just being you, for helping me, protecting me, comforting me, loving me…. For all of it" Bea brushed her lips softly against Allie's, it was the first time their lips had met since before the attack. There had been amicable embraces, and kisses to cheeks and foreheads, but they were more supportive and comforting than intimate.

Allies lips curved into a smile against Bea's as Bea gasped into the kiss, her body trembling slightly. Allie pulled back slightly, her eyes full of lust and question.

"are you cold? Want me to turn the water up?" Allie asked. Her eyes focussed on Bea's lips.

"not cold" Bea replied, her answer explaining more than the words should have, as she leaned in to capture Allie's lips again. As the water cascaded over their bodies, the two women lost themselves in the intimacy of the kiss. It was gentle and explorative, like their first kiss was happening all over again but without the uncertainty and nervousness.

Eventually Allie pulled back, forcing herself to take a deep breath and steel her resolve.

"come on, let me wash your hair and then I will help you scrub down your body" Allie stated, appreciating the evident disappointment at the kiss being over. Bea couldn't explain the feelings bubbling inside her, she barely knew the woman before her, but she felt so comfortable and at ease with her.

After squirting a liberal amount of Bea's shampoo into her hand whilst Bea rested her head beneath the shower jets, enjoying the water cascading from head to toe, Allie began to massage the lotion through Bea's long locks. She allowed the pads of her fingers to gently massage Bea's scalp eliciting a moan from the shorter woman. Allie breathed in a satisfied smirk that the redhead was enjoying her efforts, the scent of Bea's shampoo filling her senses and causing a moan to escape her own lips.

"I have always loved the smell of your hair" Allie confided as she changed positions so that she was now gently running her fingers in slight circles up and down the back and sides of Bea's neck and up to the top of her head.

"God, you are so good at that!" Bea groaned at the sensations Allie's fingers were causing.

"I try" Allie smirked flirtily despite the woman of her affections being unable to see it. Satisfied that Bea's hair was more than sufficiently lathered, Allies hands slipped down to Bea's hips as she pressured her slightly to take a step forward and enter the flow of water again.

As the water ran through the long red hair, Allie slowly stroked her fingers through it to aid the suds demise, she stepped forward herself, unable to restrain her bodies will any longer. Her breasts gently melded into Bea's back causing the older woman to gasp at the connection.

They remained like that for a few moments before Allie pulled away, returning a few moments later to massage some conditioner through Bea's hair.

With clean hair, Allie grabbed the bottle of shower gel, squirting some into her hand. She moved Bea's hair over her shoulder and began to massage the lotion slowly into her back, her hands slid up to the defined shoulders, her thumbs softly kneading against the muscle.

Bea's light moans and gasps spurred her on as she transitioned between sections of the smaller woman's back and shoulders, her technique altering for each area as she read Bea's body language as to which areas were tender and needed a more focussed attention. Upon reaching Bea's buttocks she decided to not push things too far and upset the fragile and confused mind of the woman she loved, instead she spent just several seconds to quickly lather up the soap against her cheeks and the back of her legs.

"turn around Babe" Allie ordered as she squirted more shower gel into her hands, happy to see Bea complying. Her breath hitched as her eyes met the brown orbs staring intently at her, the desire within them impossible to hide.

She felt herself gulp as she swallowed down the urge to step forward and claim Bea's body. As much as she wanted to, she knew she needed to respect Bea's memory loss and allow the redhead to guide the relationship for the time being.

Taking Bea's left hand, she began to massage in the gel, working it from her elbow down to her hand then back up to Bea's armpit, repeating the process with her right arm, she stared intently at her own hands, trying desperately to dull the aching between her legs.

She massaged Bea's neck, chest and collarbone before her hands found themselves working the suds into Bea's breasts. She couldn't help but marvel at how they fit perfectly inside her hands, she felt Bea's nipples stiffen against the palm of her hands, the groan escaping her lips before she even realized it was there.

She quickly moved her hands further south, brushing lightly over the still toned rib cage, she softened her touch as she reached Bea's raw scars. The shadows of bruising still evident despite them now beginning to recede.

The tall blonde marveled at the patchwork of textures against her fingertips as she worked the lather up.

"You ok?" Bea rasped, her voice thick with desire despite the concern having noticed a change in her friend.

"Yeah, I just can't imagine how much pain you must have suffered to get these" she motioned at the scars by rubbing her palm across Bea's abdomen.

"the damage was so… extreme, even now they must hurt so badly" Allie's eyes searched Bea's for an answer.

"It's more of an annoying dull ache than anything now. It looks a lot worse than it feels" Bea smiled shyly, thankful for the concern evident in the beautiful woman who stood inspecting her body with her eyes and hands.

"I'm just so sorry that you had to experience that, that you will be left with a reminder of all of that pain… I'm so sorry that you have to go through all of this" Allie smiled softly when Bea reached out to cup her face and felt the pad of Bea's thumb brush away a stray tear.

"and I'm sorry that you have a girlfriend that has no memory" it was Bea's turn to open up now.

"it's not so bad… at least I get to help you and look after you. How can I complain after this shower" Allie flirted, trying to lighten the mood.

"You're helping more than you could ever realize. I don't know how to explain how I'm feeling, but I want you to know that… I mean… I don't know who I am, but I do know that when I'm with you I am who I am supposed to be" Bea whispered, relieved when Allie stepped forward and enveloped her in a tight embrace.

Bea rest her head on Allies shoulder, her arms encircling her waist and holding her firmly in place. "I'm scared" Bea whispered, Allie didn't need to speak, she just softly tightened the embrace, careful not to hurt Bea's injuries, but enough to let the redhead know that she had heard her admission and would like her to continue.

"the person I keep finding out I am is a monster, I'm scared about the things that I have done and I don't feel like that's who I am… am I really a monster?" Bea snuggled her face into the crook of Allies neck, not embarrassed at all about exposing her feelings.

"Bea, your not a monster… your tough as hell, but your tough because you have to be. Those things you read in the news articles… they don't know you. Yes you have killed… but you killed a vile person who had manipulated and murdered your daughter… you didn't just wake up one day, grab a knife and say 'hey I'm going to go murder today' what you did… you did it as a result of extreme circumstances, and I challenge you to find one mother who wouldn't respond the exact same way. Your not a monster babe" Bea couldn't help but feel her resolve slip as she listened to the conviction in Allies voice.


	6. Chapter 6

I have spent the week writing, and the weekend shopping and am feeling in a generous mood... so here is part one of my two part saturday update, just for your enjoyment, to say thankyou for sticking with me and thankyou for the reviews. In this chapter, we will see the introduction to the new direction with the story. Now im going to give you a heads up that there will be 'less' Ballie fluff... BUT, what you will get is added Fridget Fluff, Ballie fluff AND a strong storyline that is going somewhere instead of just being a fluff story.

I am currently in the process of writing chapter 22, and am sitting on about 80k words, and at an estimation, am probably about a third of the way through the main storyline. I just wanted to give you a heads up of what to expect in the upcoming weeks.

As always, if you can spare a few minutes, please leave me a review... alot of time, effort and thought goe's into writing, it really is a labour of love, and all us writers ask for in return is some form of acknowledgement, whether it be a simple "Nice Chap", or something more detailed. Reviews help for us to proceed with our work, let us know that our imaginery worlds are appreciated and keep us on track, it also makes us feel the love, any everyone needs to feel a bit of love some time. So please, if your enjoying this story, let me know. if you think im writing a load of shite, let me know what you think i can do to improve, and if you want to make me feel loved... feel free to go back and review on every chapter so far HAHA.

Happy Saturday lovely people.

AL xxx

Another week had passed, and Bea still struggled to remember anything. She would find herself commenting on events from her time within prison, excitement rushing through her veins as she believed she had remembered something, only to realize that she had obtained the information from reading about it or being told stories.

The frustration was beginning to take over and she had been visiting Bridget for an hour each day as the psychologist coached her through her injuries mentally. They had begun to play some memory games in hope that exercising Bea's mind would aid her progress.

Bridget had found herself enjoying their time together as they chatted easily about a variety of topics, including the women in their lives. Bea had expressed at one time that she hoped one day that they would get the opportunity to go on a double date. She spent several minutes describing to Bridget that they would go to a nice restaurant somewhere for a bite to eat, and they would chat and laugh over a bottle or two of wine. Then they would progress to some dance venues, nightclubs were not her thing, but she knew of several little places where they had a live band who normally played a selection of

greatest hits from various genres. The four women would spend the remainder of the night dancing and laughing.

Bridget had enjoyed listening to Bea's hope, doubtful that it would ever materialize due to Bea's life sentence. Suddenly it hit her, like a snowball to the face, what Bea had said.

"I would like to take Frankie to one of these bars, can you recommend one?" Bridgit asked, swallowing down the rising excitement and hope.

"There's a place on Bank Street called Finnigan's. They have this whole industrial luxe thing going on, its quite beautiful there. On Thursday nights they do a couples night, I went with the girls from the salon one night and we didn't realize. The place was packed with loved up people dancing to love ballads and flirting over candlelight" Bea suggested, a soft smile played on her lips as she fantasized about taking Allie there one night and spending the whole time in her arms, swaying to the music and singing the love lyrics softly to each other.

"Bea" Bridgit broke her train of thought. "Bea you just remembered something from your past, something you couldn't have read about or been told about… you remembered!" Bridgit jumped from her seat, wrapping her arms around Bea's shoulders as she hugged her proudly, laughing at the shell shocked expression on the redhead's face.

They spent the next thirty minutes trying to spark some other memories, but much to Bea's disappointment, nothing came.

"You need to try not to force it, when you had that memory, you were focused on the conversation, not on trying to force a memory. You did really good work today Bea. I can't wait to let Frankie know, she will be over the moon" Bridget grinned.

"I just wish I could remember more, I feel terrible that I don't remember Debbie, that I don't remember things about Allie, or the other girls..." Bea trailed off, taking an interest in her fingers which she picked at.

"It will come, today is proof of that, you have to just relax and let it be. As we have discussed many times before, not remembering Debbie... it's part of this illness that has taken over your mind, you haven't just forgotten about her, or are ignoring her existence... your mind is healing and you need to just accept that and forgive yourself. I have no doubts that Debbie would forgive you" Bridget smiled warmly as she laid her hand over Bea's fidgeting fingers. The redhead glanced up into Bridget's warm smile.

"I know your right... it's just, it feels impossible getting my mind and my heart to line up. It's like they are constantly fighting each other" Bea admitted.

"And how does that make you feel?" Bridget pressed lightly, squeezing the cool hands with her own in support.

"Exhausted, so exhausted" Bea rolled her eyes at herself.

"I have been speaking with governor Bennett, and we took a proposal to the board. It took a lot of convincing, but they finally agreed. They are going to allow you out to visit Debbie's grave, unfortunately it won't be a long visit and you will be cuffed and supervised, but we feel that visiting her may help your

memory... would that sound like something you would like to do?" Bridget already knew the answer from the way that Bea had sat up, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Thank you Bridget" it was all that Bea could get out before the tears began to fall.

"So if you agree, you just need to sign the request form that we have already written up, then we will take you in two days, Friday" Bridget announced to Bea who was already nodding her head in agreement as the tears silently rolled down her face.

"I don't know how to thank you for this" Bea spoke, her heartfelt thanks portrayed with every word and tear.

"It's not necessary, now... sign this form, then get yourself back to H1 to tell the girls the good news. I will get Vera to sign off on it and we will get things prepared. We will be taking you straight after breakfast on Friday, so make sure your ready to go"

Bea practically skipped back to her unit, the unusually bubbly movements causing pain to streak through her body, but the excitement inside her forced her to not care. She entered the unit to find it empty, she made her way to her cell, easing herself onto the bed, she lay back staring at the ceiling, enjoying the happiness flowing through her at the thought of seeing Debbie.

It wasn't long before voices broke her train of thought and she realized that the girls were returning from their time in the yard, she eased herself back off the bed and made to meet them in the common area.

"What's got such a big grin on your face love?" Liz asked, the first to notice her presence.

"They are letting me out on Friday to visit Debbie, Ms Westfall managed to talk the board into it, saying she thinks it would help my recovery" Bea grinned as the other women all celebrated, hugging her with kind words of enthusiasm and happiness.

"I have something else to tell you" Bea whispered as she pulled Allie gently into her cell, which was fast becoming known as their cell.

"What's that babe?" Allie asked, easing her arms around Bea's neck like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"I was talking to Bridget... and we were talking about some stuff" Bea stuttered, a little flush rose to her cheeks at the embarrassment of having to admit that she had been talking about Allie.

"I was telling her about this place on the outside that I would love to take you, we were actually talking about going there on a double date with her and Frankie one day" Bea admitted, breaking eye contact and glancing down in embarrassment. Allie lightly took her chin and raised it up so that their eyes could meet again, Bea could see nothing but love in them.

"I would love to go on a date with you Bea Smith" Allie announced, causing Bea to grin.

"But tell me what it was you wanted to tell me" Allie prodded, removing her arm to snake around Bea's neck again.

"I remembered... it wasn't anything big... but I remembered this place I wanted to take you, that I had been to before" Bea admitted, her smile beaming.

"Oh my god, that is... amazing... I'm so proud of you Bea" Allie rushed in to pull Bea into a tight hug. "See, I told you things would start coming back, it won't be long now until you remember everything. Just keep up the hard work" Allie grinned into Bea's hair.

"How do you feel about visiting Debbie?" Allie asked, still in their embrace.

"Nervous, excited, scared... all of the above" Bea confessed.

"Just do what feels normal ok, and if nothing comes back when your there, don't be too hard on yourself, just enjoy the moment for what it is, because when your memory does come back, that will be something you definitely will want to hold on to. And when you get back, I will be here with open arms, and you can talk to me about it if you want, or I can just hold you, or we can just pretend it never happened, whatever you need ok?" Allie finally released Bea from the embrace, kissing her softly, she instantly felt Bea's shoulders relax as she leaned in to deepen the kiss.

"Thank you, your pretty amazing you know beautiful girl" Bea grinned. "Wait, have I called you that before? It feels... I don't know... it feels like I have?" Bea asked, a slight frown on her face.

"Yeah you have, a few times... see even more is coming back" Allie beamed.

"Listen, let's just keep the memories between the two of us for now, I don't want to excite the girls and put anymore pressure on myself, you know" Bea asked shyly.

"Whatever you say my queen" Allie grinned, leaning in to kiss Bea once more.

The next two days passed by without much excitement, despite her best efforts, Bea had no further memories return to her, she had spent endless amounts of time just sitting quietly with her eyes shut and allowing her mind to ramble as she tried to decipher any memories from it, but found that the majority of the time she just thought about Allie, and imagined kissing her, remembering Allies assistance in the showers and how they got closer and more intimate with each occasion.

Allie had been nothing but respectful, each time she stripped down to share a shower with Bea, she would hold her, and kiss her, and only allow her hands to massage Bea's aching body and wash her down. Several times Bea had begun to make a move to take it further, but Allie stopped her with a disgruntled sigh and told the older woman that they should wait until Bea was more recovered. Bea grinned as she thought about the woman of her affections and how close they had grown.

When she first woke up and had found out about everything, she was nervous about Allie, about their relationship, and Allie's intentions, but the more time they spent together, the deeper she could feel herself falling for her. Allie had once told her that Bea had admitted to her that she had felt like a teenager, and at the time she found it hard to believe, but sitting here, grinning to herself as she thought about nothing but the younger blonde, she knew that she felt like a teenager.

"What's gotten you smirking so happily?" Maxine asked as she joined Bea on the couch, awaiting the announcement that breakfast was being served.

"Just thinking" Bea grinned as she welcomed her friend to join her.

"How are you feeling? You look like you're a lot stronger?" Bea asked, although their friendship was new, what with Bea's memory, she had a strong fondness and bond with the tall brunette.

"Getting there, I'm starting to feel a lot better, just one more round of chemo to go next week and then back for more tests... but I'm starting to feel so much better" Maxine admitted.

"That's great news, I'm really happy for you" Bea's smile was warm, but instantly stretched as Allie exited her cell, having spent time that morning helping Bea shower and dress, and then retreating to her own cell to get herself sorted, Maxine followed her gaze and rolled her eyes in amusement.

"You ready for your big day?" Maxine asked, laughing to herself when all she received was a distracted grunt.

"Earth to Bea, come in Bea" Maxine jibbed, finally tearing Bea's attention back to her.

"What? Sorry?" Bea asked, blushing at the amusement in her friends eyes as she realized she had been caught out.

"That's ok... you seemed to be lost in a far better place than a conversation with me" Maxi grinned, enjoying the softer side to her friend.

"Sorry... I just..."

"Just saw Allie and the rest of the world disappeared?" Maxi taunted lovingly.

"Did I hear my name?" Allie asked joining the two women, amused at Bea's disagreement and blush as she shook her head almost warningly at a grinning Maxine.

"Talking about me, not to me huh?" Allie grinned causing Maxine to chortle.

"Piss off" Bea rolled her eyes, she was getting used to the loving jokes she was constantly the butt of.

"Come on queenie, time to get you some breakfast before your big day" Allie helped the love of her life from the couch as the announcement for breakfast starting echoed around the unit. The rest of the women in H1 joined them and they made their way to the canteen, allowing Bea's slowened pace guide them all. Bea had only begun eating communal meals again three days ago, and she couldn't help but feel glad to be out of the unit and have more company, despite the awkwardness and tension that often fell in the canteen.

Before she knew it, Mr Jackson was there to pick her up, and as she said her goodbye's to her friends, she couldn't help but laugh at the cat calls being aimed in her direction, being asked to bring back booze or food for the other women in H Wing.

"Ready for this?" Will asked when they were alone.

"Little nervous" Bea confessed as she went through the strip search before she was allowed to leave the premises. Once that was done Ms Miles left them to it, and Bea was escorted to the waiting van outside the prison.

"Just remember I will be right by your side ok? If you need anything at all, just let me know" Will smiled warmly.

"Wait up, I've had approval to join you. The governor and I thought it would help Bea to have her counsellor on hand" Bridget grinned with a mischievous smile, she had obviously planned this the whole time.

"It took you long enough to get here... I thought I was going to have to cause a diversion or something to allow you to catch up" Will grinned cheekily, a knowing smile passed between the two prison officials. Bea couldn't help but laugh, she certainly seemed to have some friends in high places.

The journey to the cemetery was quiet, both Bridget and Will allowing Bea the opportunity to think about what was coming up. As they stepped out the van, Bea shivered with nerves, Bridget placed a comforting hand on her arm. "Just take your time ok, there is no rush" Bea nodded her thanks, as she started entering the cemetery, Will leading the way.

"How do you know where she's buried Mr Jackson?" Bea asked, now used to calling him by his official title in the prison.

"I came to her funeral, You were unable to get a release to be here, so I came in your place" Will smiled softly at Bea who was shocked that he would go to that effort for her. She tried to think of something to say, but couldn't drum up anything that seemed fitting, so she just nodded and stayed quiet.

Eventually they reached the spot, it was very basic, no tombstone, just a plaque laid into the ground with Debbie's name, some dates and a photo that Bea recognized from the albums Frankie had brought her. She went to kneel down to get closer, but Will stopped her, removing her cuffs to give her a sense of normality as she visited her daughter.

"Our secret" he smiled knowingly, before stepping back to join Bridget a few meters away, he doubted very much that Bea would try to escape, especially with Allie being back at Wentworth. He was taking a huge risk, he would literally be sacked and charged if the woman decided to escape, but he took a chance on her anyway. Bridget smiled approvingly.

Bea knelt down next to the plaque, she ran her fingers over the picture, then the words engraved and highlighted in silver. She stayed silent, unsure of what to do or say. She brought up the memories of the photos she had spent hours inspecting, her heart ached desperately and she longed for Allie's arms around her to comfort and guide her.

"Well, well, what a coincidence that on the day I should decide to visit my grandmother's grave, I should bump into you three" Bea spun at the recognition of the voice, her eyes falling on Frankie, who instead of wearing her signature smirk, her face help a sympathetic smile.

"Doyle... what are you doing here?" Will asked, bemused by her arrival, he was fully aware of the ex- inmates relationship with the prison counsellor, though he never spoke of it, it wasn't his business.

"Frankie, what are you doing here?" Bridget asked, a little annoyed that her girlfriend hadn't warned her that she was planning to gatecrash Bea's time with her daughter.

"I got a call from the prison this morning, a little Alliecat asked me to pick up some flowers to bring here for Bea and Debbie" Frankie smiled her apology to Bridget before wrapping Bea in her arms and kissing

her forehead. She handed the bunch of flowers to Bea, winked and walked off to join Bridget and Will and give Bea her space.

"Well done Doyle" Will smiled approvingly.

"Hey, I'm just the delivery girl" Frankie smiled, standing next to Bridget so that their arms could touch.

Bea noticed that her three friends were lost in their own conversation, and so she turned her attention back to Debbie's grave, she knelt down again, her fingers returning to the plaque.

"Hey Debbie, it's me... mum... I guess... I just wanted to tell you that I am so sorry that I can't remember anything yet, but I'm trying really, really hard to get my memory back. I have heard a lot about you, and although I don't remember it, I know deep in my heart that I loved you unconditionally." Bea sobbed softly.

"I'm so sorry that this happened to you, it was all my fault, and though I can't remember it, I will never forgive myself. You rest well and I will try to visit you again when I have my memory back... I love you beautiful girl" Bea kissed her fingers and placed them on the plaque, she lay the flowers down next to the plaque, they were sunflowers, she remembered Allie once telling her about a conversation they had where she had told Allie that her favorite flowers were sunflowers because Debbie had loved them so much, she felt her heart tug at the thoughtfulness of her girlfriend.

She felt the enormity of her situation weigh against her shoulders, she had a beautiful woman she loved and who loved her in return, she had friends both inside and outside the prison who went out of their way for her, despite her current lack of memory, she felt so lucky, despite being stood in front of her daughter's grave.

As they made their way back to the prison van, Frankie walked with them making small conversation, checking up on Bea's recovery and how things were going on the inside. Bea mumbled a few replies, but was lost inside her own thoughts too much to really pay attention. She felt Frankie hug her as they prepared to depart ways. With an internal decision, she glanced up to Frankie and with a smile she pulled back.

"You still working as a legal aid?" Bea asked, much to Frankies confusion, she nodded her head, looking to Bridget in confusion before returning her attention to the redhead she thought of as family.

"Reckon you could do some digging... see how ironclad my life sentence is?" Bea asked nervously.

"You want out of Wentworth?" Frankie asked shocked.

"I want my life back. I don't belong inside, I'm not that person anymore. From the stories I have heard, I don't think I ever was. You told me Harry was abusive. I was wondering if there was any way of changing the conviction from attempted manslaughter to self defense... it's got to be worth a try right?" Bea asked, her stomach in her mouth as she laid her words out.

"I can't promise anything red, but I will look into it, and ask around... I will try ok. I will come visit you next week and let you know what I have found out ok?" Frankie smiled softly at her friend, gave her another hug and returned to her car. She sat there quietly as she watched the van containing her lover and friend pull away. Sighing she pulled her phone from her pocket, searched through her address book until she found the name she was looking for and hit dial.

"Hey, it's me... are you free for a coffee? I need your help with something" Frankie listened to the reply before shutting off the call, turning the keys in the ignition she sighed with a smile. Getting Bea off was going to be a mountain of a task and she couldn't do it on her own, she would need to pull in every favor she had ever earned. She pulled out of the car park, heading towards the café they had agreed to meet in, there was no time like the present to get started.


	7. Chapter 7

Part 2 of my Saturday, double post bonanza.

As always, thanks for reading, and thankyou for all the reviews so far.

AL xxx

Bea pulled on her teal clothes as she redressed after her strip search, Ms Miles had done it again and although she didn't particularly like the screw, she was disheartened by her response to the sight of her scars each time. It made her feel like a freak, she supposed she should get used to it, once the other women began seeing her in the showers again she would receive many of the same responses. But deep in her heart, it hurt to be covered in such ugly scars, Allie had been the only one to not make her feel abnormal. She smiled softly at the thought of her girlfriend, looking forward to being in her arms and feeling her comfort.

She looked up as the door opened and a tall woman entered, at first there was a slight shock to tall woman's face, but a menacing grin covered the surprise quickly. Bea watched as the woman she didn't know looked down to her abdomen, almost taking pleasure in seeing the scars there. She watched the woman intently, wondering who the hell she was, and why she seemed to be almost excited at the scars.

As a pain shot through Bea's head, she closed her eyes tightly, a faintness rolling over her like fog.

"You want it?" The voice echoed around her head, reaching from the darkness before the woman who had been stood before her just moments ago, was now stood against her, her face close enough to kiss, her breath sickly sweet against her face. She attempted to pull away, feeling a sharpness in her stomach she watched as the tall women looked down at her, a pure satisfaction covering her strict face.

"I win" she heard herself say, she knew it was her voice despite not feeling herself say it, then she felt gravity pulling her to the ground, she felt a warm dampness surround her before her eyes focused on the sky, the clouds rolling over her head, two clouds formed into seahorses above her as everything faded into black.

She awoke in the medical unit, with Bridget and Ms Bennett perched on seats beside her bed, she could read the worry on their faces immediately.

"What happened" Bea croaked, she felt dreadful.

"You passed out in the inspection room, do you remember what happened?" Bridget spoke slowly, her hand lightly rubbing Bea's arm soothingly.

Bea tried to think but her mind felt fuzzy, she shook her head and watched as the governor and Bridget glanced to each other with confusion and panic.

"The freak?" Bea asked, the memories rushing back to her, the look in the woman's eyes as she viewed the scars on Bea's abdomen, then feeling like she was going to pass out, the vision that came to her, the voices, the physical pain that washed over her.

"She was never meant to be exposed to you, we tried to process her while you were out of the prison, but somehow you got back earlier than we expected and it was just bad timing, I'm so sorry you had to see her Bea" Vera spoke softly, the strain in her voice was apparent.

"Are you ok Bea?" Bridget prompted.

"I remembered, I remembered her stabbing me... the pain in my stomach... falling to the ground... the blood..." Bea trailed off, tears forming in her eyes. Bridget remained rubbing her arm soothingly, waiting for her to continue.

"Why was she here?" Bea asked, the anger in her voice shocking both women. Bridget looked to Vera, telling her to be honest with her eyes.

"She is up for trial for the attempted murder of you, they placed her here in protective custody until she has been sentenced. I fought for it to not happen, but it has to be Wentworth, I'm so sorry Bea" Bea could hear the sincerity in the governors voice, but it did nothing to calm her anxiousness.

"I need to see Allie" Bea stated, beginning to sit up, ignoring the pain that flushed through her abdomen at the speed of her movement, she winced in annoyance.

"We want to keep you in here for monitoring for a little while longer" Vera stated, trying to ease Bea back to the bed.

"No fucking way. I want to go back to my unit. I need to see Allie, make sure she is ok. I need to be surrounded by my friends" the determination in Bea's eyes made it pointless to argue with, and so Vera nodded her agreement.

"I will escort her back, I want to have a quick chat with her on the way" Bridget stated, refusing Vera an opportunity to argue with her, she took Bea's arm and guided her towards the door.

They walked in silence for a few moments before Bridget took a big breath and glanced to the redhead that she was beginning to think of as an extension to her family through Frankie.

"I will find out what I can ok, for now... just take it easy, you still have a lot of healing to do, so keep your head down... and think about it this way, today must have been awful for you, but you have another memory back, regardless of how much of a bad memory it is, it's another memory...ok?" Bridget asked, receiving only a nod in response.

"Can I do anything for you?" Bridget asked as they approached the door to the unit, she noticed Bea's friends beginning to make their way towards her, completely unaware of what the redhead had just experienced.

"You've done everything you can, thanks... Ms. Westfall... Frankies really lucky to have you" She whispered the last part not wanting to advertise Bridget's secret and get her in trouble.

"I'm the lucky one" Bridget smiled. "Now you rest up. I will come see you first thing on Monday. If you need anything just ring Frankie and ask for me ok, any time" Bridget held Bea's gaze until she was confident that the shorter woman understood the sincerity of her request, opening the gate, she ushered Bea inside, and left without another word.

"The fucking freak" Boomer whistled with annoyance. "Why the fuck would vinegar tits let her back in here after everything she did"

"She said it's out of her hands. She seems as happy as you do about it" Bea stated, the feel of Allie's hand on her back soothing her despite still feeling in shock.

"And she just stared at you? She didn't say anything?" Liz asked, still trying to wrap Bea's story around her mind.

"She just stared, then she looked down to my scars, and she got this smile on her face... like this satisfied... demented look... like the sight of my scars turned her on or something" Bea admitted self consciously.

"Fucking freak!" Boomer fumed. "If I see her I'm going to give her some fucking scars to stare at" she promised, Bea wasn't used to seeing this side of Boomer, she had been nothing but a funny character since she returned from hospital and seeing this side of her scared her a little.

"Calm down Booms" Maxine ordered.

"Fuck that! Did you see what she did to Allie... to Bea... to all of us. I swear if she comes near either of these girls again, I'm going to rip her head off and shit down her neck" Boomer threatened causing the entire group to giggle despite the tension.

"Vinegar tits isn't going to let her get anywhere near us all" Allie promised, feeling the tension and slight tremble in her girlfriends body.

"I doubt it's the freak we have to watch for" Doreen stated. "she had help last time, and they still don't know who it was... we need to be really vigilant around here for a while" the other women nodded their agreement.

"No one is to go anywhere alone, we go as a group everywhere we can. Where we cant, we go in pairs. When Bea and Allie go for their shower, I want either Booms or me with one other person stood outside on watch" Maxi ordered.

"Is that really necessary?" Bea asked.

"Definitely" Liz agreed with Maxine.

"We aren't going to let her even have an opportunity to get to you, especially while your still healing love. Don't you worry we all have your back" Doreen added.

It was hours later when Allie finally found herself curled up around Bea. Last count had happened not that long ago, and after finishing their cups of tea, the two women excused themselves to the privacy of Bea's cell. Allie helped her change, noticing how Bea acted more self conscious about her scars and not wanting them to be seen. Allie let it slide, not wanting to push Bea after such a hard day.

"Thank you for the sunflowers, they were beautiful" Bea sighed as she shuffled backwards slightly, determined to extinguish any distance between the two women, despite how small it may be.

"not as beautiful as you" Allie cooed, her fingers stroking Bea's hip underneath the hem of the redheads t-shirt.

"I love you doing that" Bea whispered, her eyes closed as she luxuriated in the sensations coursing through her body.

"I love you" Allie whispered into the red hair surrounding her face.

"I love you too" Bea admitted, the first time that she could remember, she smiled as she felt Allies breath hitch behind her.

"I have missed hearing you say that" Allie confessed as her lips pressed against Bea's cotton covered shoulder.

"It's true though, you know. There is a lot I don't remember, there is a lot I don't know... but I know what I feel, I couldn't fight falling in love with you even if I tried to" Bea stated as she spun around with great difficulty to be face to face with the blonde.

"that is possibly the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me" Allie confessed, a blush reaching her cheeks, It was an unusual sight to see Allie blush, she was normally so confident and self sure.

"You make it so easy to say things like that" Bea confessed, her fingers finding Allies cheek and running the fingers over the soft skin beneath it.

"You're just full of charm tonight" Allie giggled.

"When your laid next to a beautiful women who you're madly in love with, how can you not be charming" Bea leant forward, her lips brushing softly against Bea's.

"Madly in love with, hey?" Allie smirked.

"Madly in love with" Bea confirmed, the smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"You're not too bad yourself" Allie grinned, she couldn't help the smile from bursting across her face.

"That's not quite what you were saying when you tried to go down on me in the shower that first time" Bea grinned.

"Ha... well if you hadn't acted all prude and ran away, maybe you wouldn't have been saying 'tried' right now" Allie giggled.

"Maybe you should have tried harder" Bea smirked, the thought of Allies lips pleasuring her causing a flush to rise to Bea's cheeks.

"I would have had be Usain Bolt to catch up to you, you were running that fast" Allie giggled, a guffaw escaping her lips as Bea began to tickle her ribs.

"Wait... I can remember it..." Bea stated, calming instantly.

"I've told you about it several times Bea, your probably just confused about the memory" Allie frowned lightly whilst she waited for the disappointment to register on Bea's beautiful face..

"No this is different... I can see it, I can remember it... you had longer hair, like really long and the cut to your forehead, it was right here..." Bea paused, her fingers brushing against the faint scar above Allies left eyebrow. "I remember it" Bea grinned.

"That's fantastic Honey... now you just need to remember the times we actually got it on, not the times you knocked me back" Allie grinned.

"Why don't you help me remember" Bea asked suggestively.

"What do you think I have been trying to do?" Allie laughed.

"Avoiding me... knocking me back... hurting my pride" Bea threw a playful glare at Allie, her pet lip sticking from her mouth.

"Come on Babe, you know it isn't like that... your not fully recovered yet, your body is still weak. We need to wait, trust me, not touching you properly is destroying me" Allie admitted.

"Then touch me" Bea smirked, her eyebrow raising seductively.

"Bea..." Allie groaned, feeling her resolve falling.

"I am literally begging you to touch me, and your still knocking me back" Bea pouted again. "Anyone would think you have gone off of me" Bea added, faking a sniffle.

"Pah... gone off you, sure. If you could see the dreams that I have had about you, then you would know that your claim is 100% bullshit" Allie stated, laughing a little at Bea's antics.

"You've been dreaming about me?" Bea asked shyly.

"Of course I have... I dream about you all the time... what it would be like to be on the outside with you, where we would live, if we would have a dog or cat, what jobs we would do... whether we would have a child together" Allie stated nervously, the thought had crossed her mind several times, but she was unsure how Bea would react after losing Debbie.

"Really" Bea gasped, unsure how to respond. she took a few moments to gather herself before allowing her eyes to meet Allie's again, she could see the nervousness behind them. "Honestly, I don't know how I feel about having a child... another child... I don't even know how I should feel. All I can promise is that I will consider it, and when the time comes for us to talk about it properly, I will be open to your perspective... I just... right now, I can't answer that" Bea felt tears prick the back of her eyes.

"That is all I can ask for" Allie smiled warmly, her heart melting at Bea's honesty. "I also dreamt about other things... the things I want to do to you, the things I want you to do to me, the things I want us to do together" Allie grinned seductively.

"Care to share?" Bea smirked, glad that the moment wasn't completely ruined.

"How about I show you a few of them?" Allie grinned as she dived her mouth towards Bea's neck, the redhead shrieking as she felt the lips attack against her skin. She allowed Allie to roll her onto her back, where she carefully straddled the shorter woman. Her hands snaking beneath Bea's shirt, skimming lightly across her abdomen before reaching her breasts and beginning their gentle assault. Allie smirked as Bea's face was unable to hide her pleasure and desire.

"God you're stunning" Allie whispered as she leant down to capture Bea's lips with her own.

"You talking to yourself again Alliecat?" Bea purred against the soft lips assaulting hers.

"Definitely talking about you Queenie" Allie grinned


	8. Chapter 8

A/N - This chapter is dedicated to a very special person, 1818, as today is her birthday. So Happy Birthday 1818... i hope you had a lovely day and your amazing girlfriend made it special for you, haha xxx

"Franks, I know she's your friend, but she's in for life, for the murder of two people, for attempted murder on another... who now happens to be dead, she escaped prison to murder one of them too... no parole board in their right mind is going to put her back on the streets" Jane stated seriously as she pushed her empty coffee cup further into the table and debated asking the approaching waiter for the wine menu. She had listened patiently as her paralegal explained the situation she had been asked to resolve and really felt for her new friend.

"I know its not going to be easy... but I have to try... look I owe this woman my life, literally, she carried me out of a burning building, I wouldn't be sitting here right now if it wasn't for her, I cant just say 'Nah sorry you've gotta rot in there" Frankie sighed, she had hoped her boss would have had some trick up her sleeve that could have helped her.

"then you buy her some flowers and a thankyou card, or if your feeling really generous you... i don't know, get your hot girlfriend to take her in a box of chocolates, you don't put yourself in a position to do the impossible" Jane sighed, making her mind up she got the attention of the waiter, ordered a large bottle of Moscato for the two of them and returned her attention to her friend.

"Look if you really want to look into this, there's nothing I can do to stop you, but it's in your own time and not at the office" Jane frowned, she knew Frankie well enough by now to know the girl was damn stubborn and often like a dog with a bone.

"Of course, I wouldn't let it get in the way of any of our cases or my workload, I give you my word" Frankie smiled in to her wine, knowing that she was getting at least somewhere with her first task.

"I suppose you'll be needing my help to make some requests?" Jane grinned at Frankie's smirk. "That's why I am here right? You knew the case couldn't be taken on by our firm, but need help in some places?"

"You caught me" Frankie grinned. "I will do all the work... I may just need your name on some of the paperwork to begin with. Once I have passed the bar exam and am able to actually practise law and not just be a paralegal I can do it all myself, I will just need some help till I get there..." Frankie trailed off hopefully. She knew she was being over positive about her future, but right now she couldn't afford to be unsure of her own capabilities.

"Fine, you win... just let me know what you need and I will help... but it cant get in the way of the office work ok?" Jane said seriously. The young woman before her was growing on her, when she first took the plunge in offering the ex criminal the job, she was unsure whether she was making a huge mistake that could affect her own career, but something about the short brunette had spoken to her, filled her with a sense of promise, that if she just gave this woman a chance, she would flourish and she wouldn't regret it. She looked thoughtfully at the woman in front of her who at the same time looked so self assure of herself and so convinced that she could pass the bar the first time and was willing to take on what would probably be one of the hardest cases in Australian legal history, yet at the same time she looked scared, nervous that she would be able to achieve any of the things she was trying to achieve.

"I promise I wont let you down" Frankie assured.

"I know you wont, but you have to be open and honest with me about everything. We cant have a repeat of the Shayne drama" Jane stated honestly, she had known Frankie felt terrible about putting herself and her career and parole on the line, but understood why she had done it. Sometimes you had to do the hard things for the people you cared about.

"Completely open and honest, I swear" Frankie's eyes were filled with a promise that Jane would have to be blind not to see, and so she nodded her approval.

"Ok so where do we start?" Jane asked.

"We?" Frankie smiled.

"Oh come on, do you honestly think I'm going to just sit back and let you have all the fun here? I'm so used to just doing parole hearings, and cases about breaking parole... this is the kind of thing I dreamt about doing at law school" Jane grinned.

"So your in?" Frankie grinned in shock, she had expected Jane to offer her name on paperwork, but not this.

"I'm in... now tell me where we are starting, Your in charge of this so just tell me what your thinking and I will guide you where I can and help where I can... I make no promises, but if its possible to get the life without parole revoked and her sentence reduced by a year or two, we will try ok?" Jane took a long gulp of her wine, she didn't know why she was offering to help, she knew this was going to be no small case, but she couldn't resist the allure of trying.

"Well I guess we start by collecting all the information we can, police statements, witness testimonies, court scripts, her lawyers notes, everything we can to start working out where we can start and what we can do" Frankie frowned, suddenly feeling very out of her depth now that the ball was beginning to roll.

"And Miss Smith, she still has no memory?" Jane asked with a nod, pleased with Frankie's response on where to start, the young woman would make an excellent lawyer one day.

"No, Gidge has said that she has had a few memories here and there, nothing too important. She cant tell me much because of doctor/ patient confidentiality, but Bea has given her permission to pass along snippets of what she has remembered so far" Frankie answered, wanting to make it very clear that Bridget wasn't breaking any rules by talking to her about Bea's recovery.

"Well that's something I suppose, but its not going to make our job very easy when we cant even question the client..." Jane trailed off as she wondered how they were going to be able to pull this off. Everything was against them.

"Well see, I was thinking about this, I wanted to speak to Gidge and get her thoughts on it, but perhaps that could actually work in our benefit. I mean if we can get this to trial, Gidge will have to make a statement, so perhaps we can start by asking her to keep some form of diary on Bea's recovery, then ask Bea to provide permission to use this diary during the trial. It could go some way to helping if we have evidence of her frame of mind, her recovery, her remorse... that kind of thing. If anything else, it will just give me some ammunition when I ask the judge to reduce her sentence based on the mental anguish caused to her by the prison services fuck ups" Frankie thought out loud.

"That's an excellent idea. You think Bridget will be ok doing that? And that Bea would allow us access to it and to use it in her defence?" Jane asked, impressed at the way her protégée's mind was working.

"She asked me to look into this, so I think she would be willing to agree to anything to be able to get out of that place on her own feet and not in a coffin, for the first time since her daughter was murdered she has something to live for, something to hope for. If she wants a future with the woman she loves, she needs to have a release date to work towards" Franky said honestly as her mind buzzed around how to get Jane inside to meet Bea for herself and see why Frankie was so adamant about helping her friend.

"Right, so that's our goal, to get her sentence reduced from life without parole to having a release date, regardless of how long it is, just to be clear... that's what we are aiming for?" Jane asked.

"Yep, that's the goal... then it's up to Bea to keep her nose clean and get parole with good behaviour as soon as she can"

"You realise that she will still likely be facing a long time inside?" Jane frowned, not wanting to get Frankie's hopes up.

"Oh I know, but trust me, when your on the inside a release date means everything, it gives you hope even if it is 6 years away" Frankie's answer provided Jane with a little more insight to her friends own experience, she smiled sadly and patted the brunettes hand across the table

"Right well, lets get together next Friday night and talk further about this. Put in a request for all the paperwork and I will sign it off if anyone requests authorisation. Just make sure your doing this after you clock out at the office from your laptop at home, that way if anything gets back to the firm you have time stamps on everything and IP addresses from the requests to prove your not doing it on company time... I've gotta head, Brad is waiting for me at the restaurant for our anniversary meal" Jane stood up and began to grab her things.

"Will do, you have a great meal, and have a fantastic weekend away yeah... don't do anything I wouldn't do" Frankie grinned cheekily, glad that she was lucky enough to have such a welcoming and understanding boss.

"Well that doesn't exactly leave me much I cant do, does is?" Jane laughed as Frankie shrugged her shoulders in amusement.

"No Comment" Frankie grinned, waving her boss off as they parted ways at the exit and making her way to her car.

"Hey baby, how did your meeting go?" Bridget grinned as she heard the front door open and close, and a few moments later she felt two arms circle her waste as she stood looking through the fridge for inspiration on what to make for dinner.

"Good, very good in fact. Jane has agreed to help me look into Bea's case, just as long as its not on company time. Which unfortunately means I'm going to be working from home on a night a lot in the next few weeks" Frankie answered as her lips found Bridget's neck and she began tracing kisses from her ear to the back of her hairline. With a guttural groan, Bridget leaned back towards Frankie's embrace, her eyes closed tightly as the lips eased away all pressures of the day and wiped her mind empty.

"That's ok sweetheart, I like watching you work anyway, your very sexy when your all serious. I cant wait till you pass your bars and come a lawyer, I want to see you in court one day with your serious face on, all powerful and sexy..." Bridget trailed off as she felt Frankie's hands on her hips pulling her arse against the brunettes pelvis.

"You could be waiting a while to see that Gidge" Frankie grinned as her actions had the wanted response, she loved it when she could stop Bridget from talking mid sentence, or when she made her hitch her breath, or moan. Really she just loved being able to illicit any reaction from the taller blonde.

"Well your nearly finished your course, two more modules then your able to take your bars. No pressure but I reckon you'll pass on your first attempt, you know your stuff Miss Doyle" Bridget purred suggestively as she spun around to face her partner, dipping her head slightly to catch the lips she had missed all day.

"I do, do I?" Frankie grinned, knowing exactly that Bridget wasn't referring to knowing her stuff about law, and in fact was referring to knowing her stuff about making Bridget weak at the knees.

"I'm often blown away by your amount of knowledge... like you're the most knowledgeable person there is, and your so... so good at being so knowledgeable" Bridget grinned against Frankie's lips, trying her hardest to resist just kissing her. She loved the banter between them, the way they spoke to each other and drove each other crazy. She loved that Frankie could have such an effect on her without even touching her, and knew by the look in Frankie's eyes that her words were having an effect on the shorter brunette too.

"Perhaps we should go lie down and I can get a few hours of revision in" Frankie suggested, leaning forward and kissing Bridget deeply, waiting for the taller woman to give in and lean back into the kiss, before pulling away teasingly, she adored seeing that look of pure desire in Gidges eyes, there really was nothing that turned her on more than knowing Gidge was turned on.

"Just a few hours?" Bridget asked breathlessly, trying not to show Frankie her annoyance at the teasing.

"All night" Frankie said, leaning in for another kiss, waiting in the middle for Bridget to meet her, when Bridget's face began to edge forward, she ducked away from her and ran to the bedroom laughing. With a shake of the head in frustration at Frankie's antics, Bridget grinned and chased her lover, entering the bedroom to find Frankie already naked and laid on the bed, a smirk on her face that took Bridget's breath away.

"Oh your in so much trouble now Miss Doyle" Bridget grinned mischievously.

"I can only hope so" Frankie grinned as she curled her finger, beckoning the beautiful woman stood waiting in their bedroom door hole.


	9. Chapter 9

"Morning Bea, Allie" Maxine chirped on Monday morning as the two lovers exited their cell hand in hand, lost in a conversation that was being whispered secretly between them as their eyes flirted with each other. It really was so nice to see Bea looking so happy and healthy despite her health issues and the recent return of the Freak. She was just thankful that the monster was locked away tightly in the protection unit, far away from them all and unable to pop Bea and Allies loved up bubble.

"Morning Maxi" Bea grinned as she pecked Allie on the lips and they separated, Bea making her way to Maxi as Allie made her way out of the unit to find a screw to lead her for her counselling session with Miss Westfall.

"You look happy love" Maxine beamed at her friend.

"I feel it, I cant stop smiling, I feel like a complete idiot" Bea giggled as she sat down next to her friend.

"So I see, Allie must be doing something right to have you smiling like this, your almost blinding me" Maxi smirked, she watched as Bea blushed a little. Her face trying to straighten out and remove to grin, but instantly falling back into an even bigger grin, they both laughed softly at her attempt.

"We barely saw the two of you this weekend... I was starting to wonder if the two of you had broken out and not told us" Maxi smirked, the two women had been locked in their cell since Friday night, only emerging to go to the showers or one emerging to collect some food from the canteen for them both, before returning to their cell with a faraway dreamlike look on their faces.

"We err... were just spending some time getting to know each other again, I cant remember much about myself or Allie, so she was filling me in" Bea blushed, knowing her lame excuse wouldn't get far.

"I bet she was filling something in" Maxi grinned as she watched Bea's blush heighten before the redhead punched her softly on the shoulder.

"We weren't too obvious were we?" Bea asked eventually, after her embarrassment had died down a little.

"Obvious yes! Loud no, if that's what your asking" Maxi guessed at what Bea meant and was happy to tell the little white lie on behalf of all the women, she loved seeing this new side to her friend and didn't want her feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed around her family. She just hoped Boomer would be able to keep her big mouth shut and not give away that they had spent most of the weekend trying to distract themselves from the noises erupting from Bea's cell. None of them having the heart to burst the bubble filling the room despite the awkwardness of being locked in listening to the two women going at it like rabbits, Boomers words of course.

"We are all just glad to see you so happy Bea" Maxi promised, the twinkle in her eyes still evident."What are your plans for today?"

"Well Allie's with Brid... Miss Westfall at the moment, after she's done were going to be doing some work, the doc has signed me off for light duties unless I have any problems, then later on I have another appointment with Miss Westfall. And then its dinner and bed... nothing really changes around here" Bea sighed with a frown.

"Hey come on, don't let that glow leave your face... you are much more beautiful with it" Maxi smiled cheekily, hoping to cheer her friend up.

"Can I tell you something, but you called tell Allie, I don't want her to know anything until I know its going ahead?" Bea asked out of the blue.

"Yeah of course" Maxi grinned, wondering what Bea was up to.

"I have asked Frankie to review my sentences, see if there is anyway I could ever get out of this place that's not in a coffin" Bea stated shyly.

"Oh Bea, that's fantastic... but why don't you want Allie to know?"

"Because what happens if Frankie finds out its iron clad, that I'm stuck in here and have no chance of ever getting out. Allie has ten years, that's ten years together, then she gets out and I have to let her go... I cant ask her to stay with me, and visit me once a week in this place where we get to hug and kiss twice and hold hands the rest of the time. She doesn't deserve that, she deserves to be happy, and have someone that can look after her, and love her, and be with her, and take her nice places... if I am stuck in this place, then I will never be able to give her any of those things" Bea frowned, her heart was breaking just at the thought of it.

"Hey... Hey... Look at me" Maxi ordered softly, waiting until Bea's watery eyes lifted and met her own, "Everything you just said, without needing to hear her say it I can tell you that Allie feels the same. But you have to remember that you're in this together, you cant just make decisions that when Allie gets released your going to let her go, you respect her more than that and she deserves to be a part of that decision. And you don't need to worry about that for a very long time yet, just focus on getting yourself better, getting your memory back, and keeping your nose clean and not getting into anymore fights. As for the other thing, its our secret... but if there is anything I can do to help, you just let me know, if you need a character witness, I have plenty of stories I can tell the courts to show them exactly what a beautiful person you are in your heart. Just don't focus on Allie getting out of here and leaving you ok, you need your strength to heal right now" Bea nodded at Maxi's 'telling off'.

"Your right... I just cant help but think of the future. You know the other day she mentioned kids... I just felt like I couldn't breathe at the time, I was so scared. And I already feel like a terrible person and mother because I cant remember my Debbie... but I had this dream the other night, and Allie was pregnant, and we were on the outside, and we were so happy, so so happy. And since then it's all I can think about... is getting out of this place, building a life with Allie, and starting a family with her, getting jobs to pay the bills and hanging out in front of the tv with a takeaway. Massaging her sore feet whilst I read to her bump... I just... in my heart, I want it so badly, and I'm so scared that I'm never going to be able to experience that with her, I'm never going to be able to make that dream come true, and I cant tell her about it because it will just upset her knowing that I want to have a child with her too but will never be able to because I'm stuck in here" Bea wiped a lone tear furiously, the frustration evident in her body.

"Well, you have Frankie on the case right. Lets just focus on that for now, yeah? Lets get you better, then get you a chance to be released... and then you can focus on making babies" Maxi's smile warmed Bea back up.

"Your right... as usual" Bea grinned.

"Come on... lets get a cup of tea and you can tell me all about your weekend away" Maxi grinned as Bea blushed furiously.

"G'day Bea" Bridget grinned happily as a woman she now thought of as a friend entered the room.

"Hey... you look happy" Bea smiled.

"I could say the same for you, you have... a glow about you" Bridget grinned knowingly, she had spoken to Allie in their session earlier, and although she couldn't divulge what Allie had discussed with her, she knew all about the amazing weekend the two women had partaken in, Allie could barely contain herself as she expressed over and over how amazing it had been. And how they had just made love, then spoken for hours before making love again, then talking further, and so it went on and on all weekend.

"Allie?" Bea asked knowingly, she shook her head in amusement when Bridget did nothing but smirk.

"She seemed to have a glow about her too" Bridget grinned, knowing her answer would say everything it needed to without her breaking any confidentiality rules.

"It was good" Bea finally confessed, she enjoyed speaking to Bridget, felt an equal to her, but she couldn't refrain the shyness that built up within her when speaking from the heart, especially when it involved Allie. "We spent a lot of time getting to know each other again, mentally and physically" Bea confided as she glanced anywhere but at Bridget.

"Does it embarrass you to discuss this with me?" Bridget asked seriously.

"Kind of... its not talking to you about it, its just talking about it in general. I guess I'm just shy about it. I don't want to feel like a complete idiot because i cant wipe this giant smirk off my face because I'm thinking about all the times we... well you know what I mean" Bea cut herself off.

"You don't need to worry about or fear any judgement from me, I'm just happy that your happy. I like seeing you smiling, I like seeing you happy. being in love suits you" Bridget confided honestly.

"Thanks... I guess its something that I'm just going to need to work on" Bea admitted.

"Well, your talking to the right person then. That is definitely something I can help you with" Bridget grinned.

"Right now, before we start I have something I need to discuss with you... its kind of a request from Frankie. She has been doing some work on your case and thinks it may be wise for us to start a diary of sorts of our sessions with the thought that we may be able to use it if she can get your case to trial down the track. She's going to come and visit you on Friday to discuss this with you further, but I was thinking the best thing to do would be to start voice recording our sessions if you would be comfortable with it, that way we can use these recordings as evidence down the track if you wanted to... do you think you would be comfortable with that, or would you rather we not do that?" Bridget asked, watching Bea's face intently for any sign of discomfort or worry.

"Nah that should be fine. Its probably a really good idea. All I ask is that you don't leave them here at Wentworth. From past experience I don't exactly trust them to not fall into the wrong hands, I would feel much better if they were on the outside with you" Bea asked, hoping her request wouldn't put Bridget in any tight spots.

"Well, considering my wonderful girlfriend just had this huge safe installed in my spare bedroom to keep all the files on your case safe, that shouldn't be a problem" Bridget rolled her eyes in mock annoyance.

"A safe? Really? Is she crazy?" Bea asked with a slight amount of amusement in her tone at how over protective Frankie was being here.

"Yep, and when I say a safe, I don't mean one of those small ones you find in hotels to keep your jewelry in, this thing is bloody huge, it takes up one full half of the wardrobe in the spare room... where she has now set up a desk and has wall papered the walls with newspaper clippings and documents. Its almost like we have a shrine of you in our house" Bridget laughed honestly. "I had to ask her the other day if I needed to worry about her trying to make a move on you" Bridget grinned, showing Bea that she was playing.

"She's taking it pretty seriously by the sound of it" Bea asked nervously.

"Oh yes. We spent the weekend shopping for a safe, getting it installed, shopping for office furniture, and me listening to her making phone calls and sending emails" Bea laughed at the idea of Frankie being so obsessive over this.

"Sorry, it kind of sounds like I have stolen your girlfriend" Bea confessed with a smile.

"Oh don't worry, it got to Sunday afternoon and I banned her from anything Bea related" Bridget smirked, much to Bea's amusement.

"I'm guessing that's why your glowing then" Bea asked cheekily and was rewarded with a light blush and smirk from her friend.

"Anyways... on with the session. Any more memories?" Bridget asked, hoping to turn the conversation away from her sex life before she spent the next hour happily gushing about Frankie.

Bridget finally walked through her front door at seven that evening after a long day at the office, she had ended up being dragged into a meeting with the officers just before her shift finished, and then Vera had convinced her to do another psych analysis of Ferguson before she left. She was exhausted, and needed a shower to wash away the feeling of Ferguson from her skin. She could hear Frankie chatting away seriously on the phone, and made her way to let her know she was home.

Frankie held up a finger, telling Bridget that she couldn't be disturbed, and so Bridget kissed her quietly on the temple and made her way to the shower, determined to wash the reminder of Ferguson off her. Half an hour later she entered the kitchen to find Frankie typing furiously on her laptop whilst the oven released a beautiful aroma into the air.

"Hey Baby" Bridget announced. She watched as Frankie typed a few more words, click the mouse, then close the screen and turned her undivided attention to her partner.

"Hey Beautiful, your late today" Frankie asked, noticing the tired expression in her partners eyes.

"I'm surprised you noticed" Bridget smirked cheekily, then sighed as Frankie approached her and hugged her tightly.

"I always notice when your not around babe, its like the sun isn't as bright when your not next to me" Frankie stated as she led Bridget to a chair at the kitchen island, sat her down in it, and began to expertly massage the blondes shoulders.

"Who knew you were such an old sap" Bridget finally announced with her eyes closed.

"Your the only one who will ever know that, no one else can find out" Frankie grinned as she bent low and kissed Bridget's bare shoulder. Bridget couldn't help but be glad that she had decided to throw on one of Frankie's tank tops and expose her neck and shoulders to her skilled lover.

"Too late honey, I'm pretty sure everyone now knows your not as hard as you made out... even Vera was asking after you today, wondering how you were getting on with your job and if you were coping ok with your parole" Bridget announced, turning to face Frankie when she felt the hands massaging her shoulders stop.

"Your kidding... is she worried that she will need to save a bed for me or something?" Frankie asked with a giggle after the shock had worn off.

"Not at all. she asked us over for dinner this Saturday. I hope you don't mind but I mentioned that you were looking into Bea's case and looking to see if there was a way to reduce the life without parole part... she seemed really relieved actually, offered to help in whatever way she could... even said if you wanted to pick her brains about anything, you could do it on Saturday night. I said we would be there, you don't mind do you?" Bridget finally finished her ramble.

"Nah that's cool babe, don't tell everyone though yeah, I don't want anyone sinister catching wind of it and trying to put a spanner in the works for Bea. Its on a need to know basis for now ok. But I was actually going to ask you for Vera's number so I could call her to set up a meeting to discuss a few things with her, so you've actually done me a favor" Frankie smiled. "Plus, it will be nice to go out for dinner with you, as a couple, we haven't really done that yet" Frankie confessed shyly.

"I said I would get you to make a desert though, Vera actually seemed excited about sampling some more of your cooking... she is a bit worried that her cooking wont be up to scratch for you though, so please be gentle and polite with her" Bridget grinned at Frankie's shocked expression, the fact that she slightly intimidated the governor unintended in a non violent way.

"hey I'm always polite... I cant say I'm always gentle though" Frankie grinned suggestively.

"If you start that, we are going to miss dinner again, and I'm starving!" Bridget admonished, though her eyes told Frankie that she loved the playful banter.

"It will be ready in about 5 minutes... then after dinner we are going to bed, you, Miss Westfall, look like you need a naked massage from a hot woman who is happy to give you a happy finish" Frankie grinned as she kissed Bridget, then moved off to get the plates and cutlery ready. She poured them both a glass of wine, knowing from the tiredness in Bridget's eyes that she had faced a tough day at work and needed to unwind a bit.

"So tell me, what held you back so late tonight? Off to see your secret lover were you?" Frankie winked mischievously.

"Oh yes... only if you can consider the freak my secret lover" Bridget grimaced as she remembered the interview that just wouldn't end.

"oh god... oh no... Gidge, I know you were joking but Jesus, please don't ever put those images in my head ever again... seriously... I think you have just ruined my appetite for sex ever again" Frankie frowned causing Bridget to laugh.

"Don't think about it then" Bridget rolled her eyes.

"Yeah but you said she was your secret lover, and now all I can see is you on your back and the freak between your legs, oh god I think I'm going to throw up" Frankie threw a couple of dramatic heaves into the air as she pulled a pout.

"Oh Frankie... now you've put that image in my mind... oh Jesus that's disgusting!" Bridget complained.

"Yeah well if I have to visualize it, so do you" Frankie grinned at the idiocy of their conversation, but was just happy to see the weight lift a little off Gidge's shoulders.

"Your seriously fucked up for imagining that right" Bridget stated half seriously much to Frankie's amusement.

"You already knew I was fucked up... now talking of fucked up... why were you with..." Frankie faked another dramatic dry heave "The Freak"

Bridget rolled her eyes at Frankie's attempts to make light of the situation. "There have been some allegations that someone inside Wentworth was under her 'employment' and Vera is on the war path to find out who was helping her, why and how... she asked me to interview her to see if I could obtain any information from her" Bridget sighed as she watched Frankie serving up some lasagna.

"Let me guess... you couldn't get shit from the psycho?" Frankie asked.

"Oh I got something from her... just nothing that helps anyone or anything. She spent the entire time mocking me, trying to intimidate me, trying to threaten me without actually saying the words. She asked me about you, said she could smell you again and I must be happy to have you back home... Jesus she is such a... a..." Bridget struggled to find the word to describe her, but nodded in agreement when Frankie suggested the work 'Freak'.

"Well Gidge, you know she is just trying to get into your head, and you sitting here stressing over her is letting her win. You've gotta not let her get under your skin... she's not smarter than you... she's not, you have to just remember that when you deal with her. And even if she does know about us, so what, there's only 2 months left now until my parole is over, then we can do whatever the hell we want and what she says doesn't mean shit to anyone or anything... she cant fuck with us babe" Frankie said honestly.

"You're right, I know your right... it's just easier said than done" Bridget sighed.

"Look at us doing our little role reversal, you reckon I'd make a good psych babe?" Frankie asked with a smirk.

"Are you kidding... you realize you cant flirt with clients... so you would have to not flirt at all... with anyone" Bridget laughed.

"As long as your not my client, I can manage that... I only like flirting with you these days... oh and red sometimes, its hilarious watching her blush to the color of her hair" Frankie admitted honestly. Bridget watched her intently before nodding her approval at Frankie's answer.

"Talking of Red, did you catch up with her today? How's she going?" Frankie asked, ploughing into their dinner.

"Not too bad, it sounds like her and Allie made some real big steps this weekend, she's had a few more smaller memories, but no major breakthroughs, I spoke to her about recording the sessions and she agreed to it, as long as I agreed to keep the tapes locked up here... she thinks your nuts by the way, by getting that damn big safe and redecorating the spare room" Bridget grinned as Frankie rolled her eyes at Bridget's incessant nagging about the spare room.

"Gidge, I know you think I'm crazy, and paranoid... but down the track, someone who doesn't want Bea out of Wentworth is going to find out... and when they do it wont be hard for them to find out that its me doing all the digging... if, when they come to destroy the evidence or anything, I don't want them being able to, ok? Please stop thinking I'm crazy" Frankie begged.

"Ok, ok... I do think your being paranoid, but I trust you, and if you think you need to be extra protective of all of this stuff, then I support you on that ok? Just please, no more home 'improvements' for this case, deal?" Bridget grinned when Frankie nodded.


	10. Chapter 10

"How is your digging going?" Bea asked two weeks later when Frankie met her to discuss the case.

"You've led an interesting life Red" Frankie stated to see Bea's reaction.

"I have?"

"Yeah... I've managed to get a hold of your entire medical history. It looks like you were in hospital every couple of weeks with some kind of injury. Its been documented that you always had an almost viable excuse, yet they always asked you if you were being domestically abused, and you always answered no. But there is certainly enough factual evidence there to support your claims that you were abused. It also appears that you had two miscarriages before Debbie, one due to a car crash... yet when I looked into insurance claims there were none under your or Harry's name. I managed to track down what car you owned at the time, and managed to get the VIN number, I ran it through the systems to see if there was any signs of repair, and it looks like all you had done on the car was servicing and upgrades, no signs of an accident. So when your memory comes back, we need to try and establish if that was a cover up, or if it was in a different car, ok?" Frankie frowned. She hated having to tell Bea about all this stuff she had gone through.

"The second miscarriage was due to 'falling down the stairs' however when I brought up your address at the time, you lived in a one story house, so that's another thing we will need to look into further when you regain more of your memory... come on Bea don't sigh like that, your memory will come back and we will be able to fill in all the blanks ok, until then there is plenty of work for us to be doing" Frankie smiled warmly as she watched her friend deflate in front of her.

"Now after you had Debbie, you had another miscarriage, which from what it seems, looks like it was just that, a natural miscarriage, however when you were pregnant with Deb, well it looks like you were in and out of hospital with injuries, your medical record states that you just felt dizzy a lot and kept passing out, but the injuries don't really look like they line up with that. I have an appointment next week to meet up with your GP, I just need you to sign this permission form to grant him the ability to talk to me, I'm hoping he can shed light on a few things and may be able to be a character witness about you and Harry and confirm that you were an abused woman who was just too scared to get out." Frankie handed Bea a piece of A4 paper full of words, she signed the line without even reading it, smiling at Frankie to show that she trusted her and didn't need to read it. Frankie nodded, and took a deep breath before continuing.

"Ok... so, that's the Harry side of things, that's where we are at the moment. Now I know that the charges were dropped with that case, but what we are trying to do is paint a picture for the judge and the jurors. We need to get them to understand firstly, why you were in prison to begin with, secondly what makes you tick, and thirdly why you are the person you are now. Once we have painted them a picture of who Bea Smith was prior to being put in Wentworth, we will start making plans to paint the picture of why you did all of the things you did afterwards, let them understand that they were under extraordinary circumstances. Then once all that's explained to them, then we will bring in as many character witnesses as we can to confirm that you're a good person, that you don't deserve to be in jail for the rest of your life, and that you would better serve your purpose on the outside than on the inside... I'm sorry Red but I have to be clear here, the best we are hoping for as an outcome to this is to get your sentence reduced from life without parole, to having a release date... you will still be looking at 10-20 years depending on which judge you get and how much we can get the jurors on board... but it gives us somewhere to start. Then we can start looking at formulating a parole hearing, and trying to get that sentence reduced with good behaviour... but its going to take a long time, we are at the beginning of a very long journey... it could take a year or two to get the case to court, then get the sentencing, then another year or so to work on a parole if we can" Frankie frowned, wishing she could be the bearer of better news.

"Just focus on getting the 'without parole' bit worked out Frankie... that's the best I can hope for right. If I want any chance of a future, I need to be able to have way to get out of here one day" Bea grimaced. She knew that Frankie would not be able to just pull strings and get her out of here tomorrow, but her head was swimming from everything that Frankie had said to her so far.

"I promise Bea, I will do everything I can, and Gidge is on our side, she's doing everything she can within the red tape. She needs to be being seen to not be giving you preferential treatment because you're her partners best friend. But her impeccable professional record will go a long way, and she's been speaking to some people she knows in the field that may be able to help, so expect a visit from some strangers who will be asking you hundreds of questions. My only advise is to keep calm, whatever you do, whatever they say, we need everyone on board that you are a calm, sane person who is no threat to anybody on the outside, can you do that?" Frankie asked, hoping that the old Red wouldn't show it's ugly head and mess things up for them.

"Sure, I will be on my best behaviour, all the time... scouts honour" Bea smirked, reading Frankie's mind. She was well aware of the reputation that she had managed to build up.

"Vera... Governor Bennett... she is going to be helping out too. Gidge and I had dinner with her last weekend and she asked to help. I think she's really taken a shine to you... Anyway, she has agreed to give you a character statement, and has said that if there is anything else we need her to do, to just let her know. So if you have any problems and cant get to Gidge, get to the Gov ok... she will help you out and keep you safe" Frankie smiled at Bea's shock.

"You had dinner with the Gov?" Bea asked moments later, a smirk playing on her face.

"Oh yes... at her house too" Frankie laughed. "I have to say, It was really weird at first, I think that's the first time I have ever seen her not in her uniform" Frankie admitted and when she saw the playful smirk on Bea's face.

"Disgusting... not like that! She was wearing jeans and a tee if you must know... she cooked for me, and Gidge though. I took desert round. We talked about the case and I filled her in on where we are at the moment, we shared a few bottles of wine and when Gidge and I decided we had drunk too much to drive and should call a cab, she offered us her spare room" Frankie grinned, enjoying seeing the amusement on Bea's face.

"You spent the night?" Bea laughed, trying to keep her voice down so the other inmates and officers wouldn't overhear their private conversation.

"We did" Frankie confirmed with a laugh. "She even made us breakfast on Sunday morning" Frankie laughed at Bea's face.

"New best friend, is she?" Bea grinned.

"Piss off... I'll tell you what though, get her out of this place, put her in some normal clothes, and get a few drinks in her... you honestly wouldn't believe how hilarious she is, honestly she had me pissing myself a few times. I couldn't believe how normal she is, definitely not the stuck up bitch we all thought she was... and she found it hilarious when I told her as much" Frankie grinned, sitting back in her seat and enjoying the banter with her friend.

"You didn't tell her that we think she's a stuck up bitch!" Bea exclaimed half in shock and half in amusement.

"Oh yeah. She thought it was hilarious. Honestly Red, you wouldn't believe how different she is, she is actually a decent person... normal... kind of nice" Frankie admitted.

"You got the hots for her or something?" Bea asked, grinning at Frankie's disgusted look.

"Yeah... I'm going to dump Gidge and hook up with her" Frankie tried to exclaim seriously, but the smile broke her face.

"Hook up with who exactly?" Bridget asked quietly as she approached the two women from behind, causing them both to jump and spin around.

"Oh Hey, what are you doing here?" Frankie asked sweetly, throwing Bea a glare as the older woman sat laughing, unable to control herself.

"I needed to catch you to tell you that Miss Bennett has requested to see you in her office before you leave" Bridget said professionally in case they had any eaves droppers, she glanced at Bea and noticed her laughing harder, watching in amusement as Frankie kicked her under the table.

"So who are you dumping Gidge for to hook up with Miss Doyle?" Bridget asked, amusement on her face as she watched Frankie gulp and panic at how to get out of this conversation. Bridget glanced to Bea who subtly nodded her head, telling her silently to keep winding Frankie up.

"Sorry Miss Westfall, that's a private conversation between my client and I, I cant discuss anything that is said between us" Frankie smirked proudly at herself as she used one of Bridget's tried and tested lines on her.

"Oh that's fine, I give you full permission to discuss this with my psychologist, I think she has a right to know about your little crush" Bea stated, struggling to keep a straight face as Bridget winked at her behind Frankie's back as Frankie threw a glare to her friend.

"So Miss Doyle... apparently you have a crush " Bridget asked teasingly.

"Piss off the pair of you" Frankie announced, folding her arms in frustration that her lover and best friend were tag teaming her. "If you don't mind Miss Westfall, I'm having a timed discussion with my client and the clock is ticking" Frankie sat forward and grabbed some more paperwork, trying to focus on the tasks she needed to sort with Bea whilst they had time.

Bridget took pity on her partner and waved to Bea, who sat looking very pleased with herself, she noticed the psychologist begin to leave and tried to mouth something to her, Bridget frowned as she tried to work out exactly what Bea was trying to tell her, it looked like she mouthed 'Vera' but she couldn't be sure. She decided to just ask Bea next time they bumped into each other, but Bea tapped her shoulder, roughly in the place where an officer holds their rank, then nodded subtly to a sign that stated 'Wentworth Correctional Facility', above the words were a crown. She took a few seconds to think, a crown on the shoulder, that was the governor, and it did look like Bea mouthed Vera. 'Ahhh Frankie must have told Bea about our Saturday night and Sunday morning with Vera... oh this could be fun, I have to get in on this' Bridget grinned to herself, nodding confirmation to Bea that she was now on the same page.

"Miss Doyle, don't forget to report to Miss Bennett's office before you leave, she's desperate to catch up with you" Bridget announced loudly, hoping that only the two women she was directing it at understood what she meant and nobody else would get suspicious, she walked away to an outroar of Bea's laughter and the sound of her partner's voice sighing loudly "Fucks sake!".

"Frankie Doyle for you governor" Officer Miles announced with a little amusement, it was highly unusual to be escorting an ex prisoner to the governors office, she would love to be a fly on the wall right now.

"Thankyou Miss Miles, I will let you know when we are finished discussing this case and you can escort Miss Doyle to the exit" Vera announced, making sure that the officer who loved a good rumour understood the Frankie was here in a professional capacity. Once the officer had left, Vera smiled warmly to the young woman sat before her.

"How's your head now?" Vera grinned, remembering how hung over Frankie had been on Sunday morning, she literally looked like death.

"Remind me to never try and pace you again" Frankie frowned, enjoying the banter with her new friend.

"I just wanted to let you know that I have added you to our register of professional's. Basically what this means is that you will be able to come in and visit Bea without requiring a visitors order, I know your feeling worried about people catching wind of what your trying to do, so I thought it would be less conspicuous if you were able to chat in a closed environment without any little ears being able to overhear. I understand you will also need to discuss things with the case with some other inmates in time, so I'm trusting that you wont abuse this trust?" Vera asked professionally.

"No of course not, thanks for that, you have no idea how much easier it will be, but will it not look suspicious with me being down as visiting Bea professionally?" Frankie frowned, wondering if Vera had just fucked up by trying to help.

"It would... that's why your listed as a paralegal who words for Legal Aid, I have put against the comments that you will be visiting prisoners to help them with legal advice for parole hearings and the such, and that this is required for part of your external education. That way if anyone asks you can just say that your doing an assignment for your course, your specialising in criminal law and have to submit case studies, and wanted to help people out whilst you were doing it. So every now and then, just try to visit a different face so no officers get suspicious, if they do they will come and notify me and I will work out some little white lie to get them off the scent... is that ok?" Vera smiled, proud of herself for having thought up such a genius idea.

"Fantastic, thanks for doing that, I cant tell you how much easier you have just made my life" Frankie admitted with a warm smile. "Oh and so you know, Bea knows your helping us, I have told her to come to you for help if she cant get to Gidge, she also found out about our dinner on Saturday and has been abusing me about it, she seems to think its hilarious and has decided to wind me up about it, so if you overhear her making any comments to me about it, I apologise in advance, and will be more tight lipped in future" Frankie confessed, she didn't want to mess up the rapport she was building with Vera, she had a feeling she would be needing a lot more favours from her in the future, and she was actually starting to warm to the woman.

"Don't worry about it, I trust Bea isn't likely to be going to tell the other women about it?" Vera asked, trying not to worry too much.

"Nah, she will tell Allie probably, but that's about it. Bea knows to keep her mouth shut and knows how to keep it shut. She also knows how much we are going out of our way for her, there is no way she would do anything vindictive like that, she's just giving me a bit of grief about it and I didn't want you to overhear something and think we were laughing at you, trust me when I say that I'm the butt of this joke" Frankie grinned, glad that Vera hadn't over reacted.

"Do I want to know?" Vera asked with a smile.

"Probably not, she is calling Saturday night a hot date, saying I have a crush on you... and now it appears that Bridget is in on the joke too... they are a pair of bitches" Frankie grinned as she relaxed in the chair, she had sat in that same chair so many times before, but never as an equal, and never feeling so relaxed and welcome.

"Hah, I'm surprised Bridget hasn't been in to kick my arse yet then" Vera grinned causing Frankie to laugh.

"Nah she's a lover, not a fighter... I don't think she could kick anyone's arse" Frankie grinned. "Anyway, unless there was anything else Gov... id better head off, now I have Bea's signatures on some consent forms, I have to go get them lodged" Frankie asked standing from her chair.

"Nope that was all, I just wanted to let you know about the change to visitations. Good luck with your forms" Vera waved as Frankie left, finding Smiles waiting just outside of the office playing with her fingernails.

She left the prison after being scanned out, collected some items from the locker, and made her way to her VW as she checked her phone to see if work had called. She opened a text from Bridget and laughed in frustration.

'Hope you had a good time with Vera and she didn't wear you out too much... see you tonight. Love you xxx'

Typing a quick response of 'Haha. Very funny. See you later x', she locked her phone, jumped in her car and headed towards her first destination to lodge the consents.


	11. Chapter 11

"Ok what's going on" Allie asked seriously as Bea finally arrived back at the unit in a good mood, struggling to control her laughter but refusing to say what was so funny.

"I told you, nothing" Bea stated for the sixth time, frustrating herself at being so obvious.

"Share the joke Bea" Allie poked her bottom lip out and frowned sadly.

"There is no joke"

"Then why cant you stop smirking? What's gotten into you? And for that matter, what's with all of these secret meeting with Frankie? Trish said that she overhead Miss Westfall telling Officer Miles that the Governor needed to speak to Frankie Doyle regarding a case, and you were sat in the visitor room signing paperwork with Frankie... so spill, what are you hiding from me?" Allie said, finally getting annoyed, the playful tone now gone.

Bea sighed, she didn't want to tell Allie and get her hopes up before she knew something definite, but as usual, you couldn't fart in Wentworth without everybody finding out about it. Bea rose from the bed and closed the cell door to give them some privacy, her time was up and she had to fess up to the blonde woman that filled all of her senses.

"Ok... now don't get mad... I didn't tell you this because I was waiting to surprise you with good news, not have you waiting with anticipation like I am... ok?" Bea dropped back onto the bed, this time sitting directly opposite Allie, taking the younger hands in her own and stroking them with the pad of her thumb.

"Ok... spill, what's going on Bea?" Allie frowned, unsure of what Bea could actually be talking about but the nerves that were consuming her felt her feel a little nauseous of how serious Bea was being.

"Ok so when I visited Deb... I had done a lot of thinking on the drive there, and before that actually. It has been playing on my mind a lot that... well one day, you will be getting out of this place, and I wont" Bea had to stop Allie from interrupting her.

"Stop, listen. So when Frankie got there with the flowers, I made a decision that has been running through my head for a few days. I err... well... I asked her to look into my sentence, to see how iron clad the life without parole is. She is looking into everything now, we are trying to get my sentence reduced so that one day I can get out of this place, so that I can be with you. There is no guarantee it will happen, and even if it does, I could still be facing another twenty or so years in here. But I have to try. I have to Allie, I cant stand the thought of you being out there, and me being in here... and us only seeing each other once a week for an hour, I cant stand the thought of that... so I'm trying to do something to secure our future" Bea smiled shyly.

"Bea, that's... wow. I am so glad that you started the ball rolling with this. I have to admit that the thought of getting out of here and leaving you behind has crossed my mind, I cant really think about it for too long because it just hurts so bad... so this is perfect... god I'm so excited, I want to know everything, start from the beginning and tell me everything you know so far" Allie practically bounced around the bed like a child causing Bea to grin, a wave of relief washed over her as she realised that Allie held no hurt or annoyance at not being consulted or a part of this so far, she was just happy for her partner to be given a hope.

It was a few hours after dinner, and all the prisoners had done their final count, and had been locked into their units. H1 was relatively quiet as the women sat watching some quiz show on the communal TV.

"This is shit" Boomer finally announced after looking at her friends and seeing the same bored look on their faces that she felt.

"Shall we see what else is on?" Liz asked.

"Nah it will all be the same boring shite" Boomer glared with frustration.

"Wanna play cards?" Maxi asked, and grinned as Booms, Liz and Doreen nodded enthusiastically.

"Allie? Bea?" Maxi asked.

"Err sure, why note" Bea agreed hoping to take Allies, and her, mind off the case and their earlier disagreement.

"Are you two ok? You've been quiet all evening" Liz asked, glancing between the pair and seeing their guilty looks. Liz watched in amusement as Allie raised her eyebrow pointedly at Bea.

"Fine!" Bea almost growled "if I tell them, will you leave me alone?" Bea shook her head in frustration as her partner nodded excitedly. They had argued earlier over telling their friends about what was going on. Allie wanted to involve them, but Bea was paranoid that it was going to get out.

"What's happening love?" Liz gently probed, hoping to ease Bea's tension. All of the inhabitants of H1 were watching intently.

"I have been talking to Frankie. She's looking into my case to try and get my sentence changed… but it's a secret" Bea announced quietly. Everyone looked pointedly at Boomer

"Nah I won't tell anyone Bea, I swear!" Boomer promised much to the amusement of the other women. "What I can keep a secret you know" Boomer frowned.

"This is a really important secret Booms, if the wrong person finds out they could kill it before it even starts" Maxi softly chastised, rubbing Boomers arm softly.

"I know that! I promise I won't tell no one. You can trust me Bea" Boomer begged. Bea nodded in approval, knowing she could trust to lovable larrikin of the group.

"So tell us everything love" Liz asked, excited for her friend.

"If anyone can do it Franks can" Boomer announced proudly after Bea finished catching them up on the case so far.

"I mean she got me a few years knocked off and I was caught red handed with drugs" Boomer nodded proudly.

"that's why I asked her Booms I trust her with my life" Bea admitted and smiled at the love and pride shining through on Boomers face.

"What can we do to help bea?" Doreen asked. "I can write a statement about how you saved Joshies life" Doreen offered.

"that's a fantastic idea love" Liz beamed, and the rest of the group nodded excitedly.

"that would be awesome Doreen. I guess you could all start thinking about character statements. You guys all know me… better than I know myself… so I would like for you all to be my character witnesses" Bea asked shyly, but her nerves disappeared instantly when all the women surrounding her nodded excitedly.

"are you going to write one too Allie?" Maxi asked.

"Try and stop me… I have many, many wonderful things to say about Bea" Allie grinned.

Bea grinned lovingly at her partner who was now sat on the floor, her back between Bea's legs and relaxing as Bea played with her hair.

"hey Bea… reckon you could get Frankie to visit me, I want to ask her a few questions about my statement" Boomer asked nervously.

"You know you can just ask her to visit you, you don't need to pretend to need help" Bea grinned as Boomer reddened.

"I'll ring her tomorrow and ask her to set a visit up ok?" Bea asked and Boomer grinned widely, nodding her head in excitement.

"hey Booms" Frankie grinned a few days later as she entered the visitors room and was pulled into a tight hug.

"Frankie!" Boomer almost bounced in excitement.

"Bea said you wanted me to visit" Frankie grinned widely, happy to be around her oldest friend again.

"Yeah.. I just wanted to say hi. And tell you how proud I am of you for that thing your doing" Boomer grinned then winked as if she was proud to be let in on the secret.

"Thanks Booms. I'm trying really hard out there. I booked my bars in this morning. Think time next week I should be a qualified lawyer" Frankie grinned proudly.

"Aww that's amazing Franks. You really have got your shit together!" Boomer grinned.

"so did you just want to see me to tell me how amazing I am?" Frankie grinned.

"nah… I mean I wanted to check in with you and make sure that you were happy and healthy… I just needed to see for myself ya know?" Boomer grinned happily.

"I'm fantastic Booms. I'm healthy. I'm happy. I live in this amazing house. With this incredible kitchen that I can cook in till my heart is content. I sleep in a huge bed every night cuddled up to a hot woman who I'm truly in love with" Frankie grinned as she trailed off not wanted to make her friend too jealous.

"Aww that's great Frankie.. you know she comes to work everyday with this huge smile, practically skipping around the place" Boomer grinned knowingly, Frankie couldn't help but smirk in return.

"So Booms, tell me... what's this really about?" Frankie grinned.

"So err... I wanted to talk to you about something, but first I need to confess something, but you have to promise you can't tell anyone, not even Miss West... you know who" Boomer whispered.

"Jesus booms, she's not lord Voldemort!" Frankie laughed.

"Who?"

"Never mind, what do you need to tell me. I promise its between just us" Frankie grinned, she really had missed Boomer. She watched in amusement as her friend scanned around them, checking that no one was watching or listening before leaning forward and motioning for Frankie to come closer, she obliged.

"I'm pregnant" Boomer whispered, her face breaking into a huge grin.

"Your what?" Frankie practically shouted, before lowering her voice and getting closer to Boomer again so their conversation couldn't be heard. "How?"

"Maxi and I... she had some of her spunk frozen, she had a friend sneak it in, and we put it in me... and now I'm pregnant!" Boomer grinned happily, almost bouncing on the chair in excitement.

"Wow... I err... congrats Booms, I'm really happy for you, have you thought about how this is going to work when you get out, I mean are you and Maxi together now?" Frankie asked in confusion.

"What? No, I aint no Lezzo!" Boomer almost shouted, before her smile apologized to Frankie incase she caused any offence. Frankie shook her head and motioned for Boomer to continue.

"That's why I wanted to speak to you, I was wondering if you could write up some sort of contract for Maxi and I to sign, you know, make sure neither of us can screw each other over and make sure this bub will have someone to look after it if anything happens to Maxi or me" Boomer smiled shyly.

"Booms, that's great, I will happily do that for you, I just need you to tell me exactly what you want the contract to say, then I can write it up and go over it with you both, then get you to sign it, then I can get it filed. Reckon you could do that? Have you thought about what you want it to say?" Frankie asked, pulling a notebook and pencil from her briefcase, being allowed entrance on a professional basis certainly had its perks.

She began scribbling down suggestions that Boomer was throwing at her, a few times having to warn her to slow down as boomer raced on ahead excitedly. When they had finished Frankie looked up to Booms.

"Family law isn't something I'm that brushed up on, so I will have to look into all of this, make sure what your asking is legal, then I will get it typed up into a contract, then come visit you in a couple of weeks to go over it with you, sound ok?" Frankie asked, watching the nervous nod of her friend. She raised her eyebrow questioningly.

"There's just one more thing I want you to add to it... just incase something happens to both Maxi and me, I want to designate an alternative carer." Boomer announced, her nerves clear as she glanced around the room.

"That is very sensible Booms, who would you like me to put down, I would have to get them to sign the agreement in consent, so if you give me a full name, I'll track them down and get them to sign it too" Frankie glanced to her pad, her pencil hovering as she waited for the name.

"Yeah... no worries... it's Francesca Doyle" Boomer said quietly, watching Frankie's face for any sign of annoyance, instead she just saw a look of shock before a smile broke out on her friends face.

"You would want me to raise your rug rat?" Frankie grinned, unable to keep her voice neutral, she felt extremely honored, and like this was the best question she had ever been asked in her life.

"Yeah you know... me and Maxi talked about it last night... and you're the best person we could think of... I mean you've got your shit together, you've got a good job now... you have...' You know who'… rug rat would be raised in a loving home, with two people who have good jobs, and I mean... you would make an amazing mum, after the way you grew up you would do anything for a kid to make sure they never had to experience what you did... oh... say you'll do it Frankie... please!" Boomer begged.

"Yeah. Of course I will Booms, I mean, I hope I will never have to... but if I had to, I promise you I would love the rug rat like my own, and raise her healthy and happy and to have everything they want, I promise you" Frankie grinned.

"I know you would Franks... that's why it has to be you... and Miss... 'you know who' wont mind?" Boomer checked.

"Booms, she's in love with me, she would do anything for me, even this... I don't doubt it for a second, don't worry about that ok. You never know, rug rat could end up with little cousins to play with one day anyways" Frankie winked at Boomer before holding her finger to her lips to let Boomer know that was just between them. Boomer widened her eyes in shock.

"Is... is 'you know who'…"

"god no. Not yet anyway. We have talked about it and agreed it is something we will look into one day. I just need to get myself on track first. Get this job sorted, make a name for myself before I start going on mat leave" Frankie stated matter of factly.

"So you would be the one to..." Booms trailed off, not wanting to say the words and have anyone over hear them and make assumptions.

"Not too sure yet Booms, I mean Gidg...' You know who' would look incredible if she did it, but we aren't sure whether she would be able to, she's a fair chunk older than me, but ideally, she would carry the first, then I would carry the second" Frankie shook her head at herself as she took on Boomers pet name for Gidge.

"Two hey?" Boomer smiled happily, never thinking she would be holding this conversation with Frankie.

"Yep two... a boy then a girl hopefully... that way her big brother will always be able to look out for her. And once your out of this shithole, Aunty Booms and rug rat can visit all the time, that way the kiddo's will be able to play with and grow up with their cousin" Frankie grinned as Boomer wiped a tear from her eye.

"I bloody love you, you know" Boomer announced so loudly that half the people in the visitors room looked over to them, but Boomer couldn't have cared less as she bounced over the table and wrapped her best friend in a tight hug.

"Boom's your gonna break my neck if you don't let go" Frankie laughed.

"Visitor for you Miss Westfall" Bridget's personal assistant announced as she ushered a woman she recognized into the psychologists office.

"Frankie, what are you doing here" Bridget grinned as she nodded at her PA, who exited the room and closed the door behind her. Bridget was glad that she had closed the blinds earlier, meaning now they had the room to themselves and she could welcome her partner with a much needed kiss.

"I was visiting Booms, she needs me to sort some legal stuff out for her... and I just thought whilst I was here I would pop in and say g'day" Frankie grinned as she mimicked Bridget's legendary greeting.

"That's good baby, I missed you, you left early this morning" Bridget pouted as she ran her fingers tenderly through Frankie's soft brown hair.

"Yeah I got a voicemail last night asking me to arrange a visit with Booms, so I started work early knowing I would have to visit during my lunch" Frankie smiled apologetically. "Do you know how hard it was leaving you in bed though, even when your asleep and snoring your irresistible" Frankie grinned.

"I don't snore" Bridget rolled her eyes.

"anyway... I just wanted to run something by you, say I was asked to be a listed emergency carer for someone's kid should the parents both die... would you have any issues with me saying yes to that?" Frankie asked nervously.

"What, of course not... but who asked you, all your friends are in here aren't they?" Bridget asked, smiled proudly at her partner.

"Err... look Gidge, I don't want to lie to you, I don't ever want to lie to you, but If I tell you, I'm going to be putting you in a really bad position because of your position in this prison, so can we just agree that if you don't ask, I won't tell, and that way neither of us is compromised?" Frankie couldn't look her partner in the eyes.

"Oh god... someone inside is pregnant, Jesus how did that happen! Wait, don't tell me, I don't want to know and you have said too much. Your right, of course. I'm really proud that you told me though, it would have been so much easier for you to just hide this from me then act shocked when I announce someone in here is pregnant" Bridget kissed Frankie softly as she tried to push all thoughts of finding out who could be pregnant from her mind.

"Thanks, I just... look I don't want to mess us up. I love you, you know, and if I want to be able to trust you and expect you to be honest with me about everything... then I have to trust you and be honest with you about everything... I don't want secrets and lies between us, I don't want anything between us" Frankie admitted as she rested her forehead against her girlfriends.

"Frankie Doyle, smooth talker... who would have guessed" Bridget grinned.

"Well... you always told me in this room you wanted me to talk about me... here I am... talking about me... are you happy now?" Frankie grinned cheekily.

"You know, I always wondered about what it would be like to just sweep everything off my desk, lay you down on top of it, and ravish you" Bridget whispered into Frankie's ear, her hands resting on Frankie's hips as she pulled the shorter woman against her. She grinned when she heard Frankie gasp and moan at the same time.

"You know I have to get back to work... that's really not fair" Frankie complained. "Did you really?"

"A lot... I still do actually... you know when I'm sat here all alone, and I'm bored, and my mind wanders... and I can't help but just imagine you there, my tongue..." Bridget was cut off as Frankie jumped away from her, shaking her head and breathing deeply.

"Gidge... you can't do this, I have a meeting I have to be at in an hour... and now you've got me all wound up" Frankie complained as she kept her distance from Bridget, not allowing her close to her.

"You asked" Bridget grinned.

"your such a naughty minx" Frankie smirked, shaking her head at her girlfriend. How she wished she didn't have a meeting to go to. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Miss Westfall, Allie Novak to see you, do you want me to tell her to wait outside?" officer Miles asked, grinning when she noticed Frankie Doyle stood in the room with the psychologist.

"that's ok… let her through, Frankie was just leaving for a meeting anyway" Bridget grinned at Frankie's obvious discomfort.

The tall blonde entered the room and grinned warmly when she noticed Frankie stood there. Miss Miles left, leaving the office door open for Frankie to leave.

Frankie hugged Allie on her way past, throwing her a wink before saying bye to Bridget. As she clutched the door handle to pull it closed behind her Allie called out.

"hey Frankie… how's your crush going?" Frankie grimaced as she heard Gidge's snort… 'great' she thought, 'now Allie is part of the joke'

She turned to throw a glare at the two women sat in hysterics, leant forward slightly so that the PA wouldn't witness her next action, and threw the birdie at Allie, causing another round of laughter as she shut the door. She smiled sweetly at the PA, then made her way to her meeting, shaking her head at how annoying her friends were.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N - Apologies for the lack of posts over the weekend, i was busy being a good wifey for most of it and then was swept away to a suprise night away by my very own seahorse... so posting had to take a bit of a back seat, sorry guys but duties call sometimes ;)

In apologies for my lack of posting, i will be updating a few chapters over the next hour or so as i have finished proof reading and minimizing the many mistakes, typos and continuity errors... i cant promise to have gotten rid of them all, but im not a professional writer so...tough haha.

On with the show, happy Teal Tuesday peoples, enjoy your reading and as always, reviews are welcome, requested and appreciated more than you know.

AL xx

Bridget entered her house to find it dark apart from a few table lamps left on. She noticed a note on one of the side tables and picked it up.

'Gidge,

Had to go see a man about a dog, will explain later. Don't know when I will get finished but don't wait up. Miss you and love you. Frankie xxx'

With a soft sigh of disappointment at Frankie not being home, Bridget decided to make the most of having the house to herself.

She set the bath running, pouring in a healthy amount of bubble bath before she made her way to the kitchen to grab a wine glass and a bottle of white from the wine fridge. She entered the bathroom, turned on the towel heater, lit the candles surrounding the bath and made her way to the light switch to turn off the main lights. Whilst there she flicked on the media panel, adjusting the volume and setting it to play a playlist of soothing music.

Testing the bath water, she nodded to herself that it was perfect, she stripped off, poured herself a generous glass of wine. And eased herself into the bath, relishing in the heat surrounding her body and easing her tired muscles.

Before relaxing fully, she grabbed her phone, and snapped a quick photo of the bubbles between her legs, the candles flickering against the tiles and her hand holding a wine glass. She set it to send to Frankie with a simple message. 'wish you were here' then she set her phone down, took a large sip of her wine, closed her eyes and began to relax to the soft sounds of the music.

Frankie entered the house an hour or so later, and frowned when she found the house exactly as it was when she left. Wondering if Bridget had decided to get an early night after her bath, she kicked off her shoes and made her way into their bedroom.

She frowned at the empty bed before turning towards the music playing in the ensuite still. Surely Bridget couldn't still be in the bath, could she?

Frankie entered the spacious bathroom and grinned when she saw her partner snoozing in the bath, her soft snore barely audible over the music.

Frankie tested the water to see how hot it still was and frowned when she felt it was luke warm.

She leaned forward and began placing soft kisses along Bridget's jaw, waiting for the older woman to stir. When she felt Bridget begin to react she kissed her lips a little harder.

"hey sleeping beauty, time to wake up" Frankie murmured against the soft lips that she was happily addicted to.

"what time is it?" Bridget murmured as she clenched her eyes closed, refusing to open them.

"it's a little after nine baby, you fell asleep in the bath" Frankie grinned. She loved sleepy Bridget, it was the most adorable thing she had ever witnessed. The way she forced her eyes to stay shut. The little wrinkles that formed around her eyes and her nose. The way her lips pouted slightly, not in a playful way, but in a grouchy way. The little noises that erupted from deep within her, little dissatisfied grumbles… she was truly adorable and Frankie couldn't help but fall deeper in love with her every time she witnessed it.

"I don't wanna wake up" Bridget grumbled.

"come on sleeping beauty, you can't sleep in the bath all night. Lets get you out of there and dried and I will tuck you into bed" Frankie grinned lovingly as Bridget's pout intensified.

She rolled up her shirt sleeve and dipped her hand into the tepid water, pulling the plug out, the bubbles had now all dissipated, leaving Frankie with a very nice view of her girlfriend.

Standing up, she reached for the towel that was now suitably hot before returning to Bridget who was slowly standing up with her eyes still firmly closed and a pout on her face. Frankie wrapped the heated towel around Bridget, smirking as her partner groaned happily for the first time. She guided her out of the bath then grabbed her own towel to gently pat dry Bridget's legs as the taller woman stood cocooned in her warm towel. Frankie guided her to the bedroom where she collected a fresh pair of undies and one of her baggie band t-shirts, she dressed Bridget carefully before guiding her to bed and pulling the covers back.

Bridget practically fell into bed, and began snoring softly. Frankie laughed softly at her girlfriend as she pulled the blankets up to her chin and tucked her in. She went to the bathroom, blew out the candles and turned off the towel heater and music. Then returned to Bridget's side.

"I just have to go finish up some work and then I will come and join you babe. Sleep well. I love you" Frankie kissed Bridget's forehead softly and smiled as Bridget mumbled something in her sleep.

Making her way to the spare bedroom that now was her home office, she plonked herself down in her chair and powered up her laptop and waited for the series of login in screens.

Once everything was running, she removed a flash drive from a locked drawer and inserted it into the laptop. Within seconds the prompt came up to view the files and she began to flick through things. She had decided to not store anything on the laptop incase it was stolen. Instead she had everything stored on a flash drive which she kept hidden and locked in a drawer. Once a week she would back up a second flash drive which was kept securely in the safe in the wardrobe. She was fully prepared to be more than careful with this precious task Bea had given her, she was under no illusions as to the danger she could be putting herself in from several people if they found out what she was doing.

She entered another flash drive into the laptop, this one retrieved from her pocket. Once loaded, she opened the files and flicked through them until she found the dates she was looking for. Selecting the first file, she clicked it open and waited until the media player opened a video, it was black and white, but on it she could clearly see Braydon Holt and Debbie Smith stood outside the Wentworth entrance. Braydon had just approached Debbie and began talking to her out of the blue. It was clear Debbie didn't know who he was. She watched as the young boy charmed her friends daughter, a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. When the video file finished, she moved it into its new folder and renamed it so that the date, location, and contents of the video were clearly labelled.

She flicked through several more videos until she found the next video of interest, this one showed Debbie in the entrance for the visitors room, again Braydon was hanging around her like a fly to shit. Smiling at her, and touching her subtly.

As the hours passed, Frankie trawled through footage after footage from the security cameras in and around Wentworth. She had obtained the dates from Vera of each time Debbie and Harry had visited Bea. She then went on to get the dates of each visit Braydon had visited Jacs Holt after Bea arrived at Wentworth.

She spent hours trawling through the footage, pulling out anything that showed Debbie and Bea, Debbie and Braydon, Bea and Harry, Braydon and Jacs… she didn't concern herself too much about the content yet.. she had plenty of time to review and examine the footage later, for now she just focused on getting as much footage as possible to paint a picture.

Getting the footage from the prison had cost her a small fortune. She had found out who the security footage management company was from Vera. She then researched every staff member who had access to the archived footage, found a guy who had a respectable gambling debt with some bad people, and offered to wipe his slate clean, if he provided her with what she needed. She was surprised just how easy it had been, but she had what she needed now, and the guy had told her if she needed anything else to let him know, he was happy to do business with her and was relieved that she had come in to save his arse before he got too badly beaten up, or his wife and kids were dragged into his mess.

His number was now saved in Frankie's disposable mobile, the one she used for making any call about the case that she didn't want tracing back to her. His details were also saved in a folder on her flash drive, including everything she had found out about him so far, just incase she needed it in future, she was leaving nothing to chance.

Glancing to the time in the bottom corner of the laptop, she grimaced when she realized it was just after one thirty already. She closed everything down. Ran the software which removed all traces of everything she had done that night on the laptop whilst she locked up the flash drives in their hidden place in her drawers.

Once everything was finished, she set the laptop to boot down and made her way to bed to snuggle up to her girlfriend and get a few hours of sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

"Heya Bridget, how's it going?" Bea asked warmly as she entered her final session for the week.

"Not too bad, I've barely seen Frankie all week though, she has been off doing secret missions and playing spy. I swear she is enjoying this all too much" Bridget frowned softly.

"well I'm going to be giving her a call soon and ordering her to take the weekend off… she is no use to me if she is burned out" Bea nodded.

"she is taking her bar exam today, in fact she should be in there right now" Bridget informed her proudly, she watched as Bea grinned happily, her face showing nothing but pride and happiness for her friend.

"how was she this morning, nervous?" Bea asked.

"oh yeah. She almost never went. She had a bit of a meltdown, started worrying that she couldn't do it and she was just setting herself up to fail. Sometimes I really just can't keep up with her changes between utter confidence and sheer self pity" Bridget confided. Bea nodded her head thoughtfully.

"she will do ok on her test though right? I mean she's so clever and always seems to know exactly what she's talking about. Any legal question I have asked her she has been able to answer easily and with thorough explanation… like she has been doing it for years. I can't wait till she can start practicing law and I can sack my worthless lawyer and start paying someone who actually knows what they are doing!" Bea admitted.

"I have every confidence that she will pass, as long as she doesn't let her nerves get a hold of her. She will know within a week if she has passed, so at least it's not too long for her to stress over it" Bridget thought out loud.

"well if you can, let me know as soon as you know. I know the girls would love to get a card together to congratulate her or something" Bea asked, smiling when Bridget nodded her head.

"anyways… enough about my woman… how is your woman?" Bridget smirked, she loved the way Bea always blushed slightly when Allie was brought into conversation. It was very sweet.

"Yeah things are going really well. Really really well. She's really excited about the case and I keep having to remind her that it may not happen"

"what makes you think that Bea?"

"well I am in prison for murdering two people… who I murdered. I'm exactly where I should be" Bea confessed.

"do you think you're a bad person Bea? Is that how you see yourself?"

"it's hard… I mean the person I am right now, I wouldn't hurt anyone… but this person that I used to be, that I can't remember… she did some terrible things. I mean from what I am told, she murdered Jacs in cold blood, then went after her son… both in revenge. What kind of person does that?" Bea asked as tears formed in her eyes.

"let me ask you this… if someone hurt Allie and you could stop them, would you?"

"well I wouldn't want Allie to get hurt, but I wouldn't just stick a pen in someone's neck to protect her… there are other ways to protect someone"

" and what if they were hurting her, and you tried to stop them, but they overpowered you and continued hurting Allie?"

"fuck I don't know… what could I do. I couldn't just sit there and watch someone I love be hurt… but I also couldn't just kill someone to protect her"

"what if it was Allie or her attacker. You have to choose which life to save"

"shit why are you asking me this"

"because I want you to understand that sometimes, not every time, but sometimes we have to do the wrong thing for the right reason. Take a look at a police officer, they don't wake up one morning and say 'I hope I get to shoot someone today ' but sometimes they are forced into that action in order to save somebody else. The victim. The helpless. The needy. And even after they have taken that terrible responsibility into their own shoulders, they need people like me to help them through it because they are so messed up because they know they did the right thing, but their guilt over taking someone's life, even an evil person, is too much for them to handle. Now I'm not saying if Allie is threatened, your first response should be to try and kill her attacker, however if it's the difference between Allie's life or her attackers life, and your out of options… then that is not something that would make you a bad person. Does that make sense?"

"does that mean if your partner was in that situation, you would kill someone?" Bea asked, deliberately not mentioning any names as the recorder was following the conversation.

"If it was the only option I had to protect someone I love from being killed by an attacker, I would do whatever it took to protect her. I don't see myself as a prospective murderer, I'm not a violent person at all. But there is a difference between self defense or protection of a loved one… and outright murder"

"how can you tell the difference. I mean how do I know if what I did was a bad thing, or a really bad thing"

"well first of all you have to be able to judge it for yourself, your no psychopath. Your able to feel empathy and your able to control yourself. Do you feel like what you did was a terrible thing, or was it necessary… not justified, but necessary"

Bea rubbed her face with a frown

"look let's stop talking hypothetically. Who are we talking about here?"

"Braydon"

"have you remembered anything?"

"no, I have been reading over the original case files Frankie supplied me with. I have read it so many times trying to force the memories to come back. I know the case files word for word, I have closed my eyes and tried to walk through it in my mind… but I just can't get anything. It's so… fucking frustrating"

"you know the more you force it, the longer it will take to return. You have to let it come back in its own time. As for Brayden Holt… he murdered the most important person in your life, it is understandable for you to have felt the need to avenge Debbie… it may not have been the right way to do it, but I challenge you to find a parent who wouldn't tell you that they would kill anyone who hurt their child"

"but saying you would do it and actually doing it are very different things"

"indeed they are. How do you feel about knowing he died at your hands?"

"honestly… sick to my stomach. I can't tell you how many times I have actually thrown up because I have thought about being the cause of his death… and Jacs."

"do you think it may help if I could arrange for someone who was there to walk through it with you, we can do it in the safety of my office. Mr. Jackson was there when you pulled the trigger… his explanation and description may be of some help"

Bea nodded nervously.

" I will speak to Mr. Jackson and see if it is something that he would be prepared to do. That's all I can promise right now. Other than this…have you had any further memories on anything?"

"just a few more insignificant things… things like picking Deb up from school one day and taking her to the park… I remembered a song that I always used to sing to her as a baby. I remembered a few little snippets of when I first got here… playing basketball with Frankie in the yard, that kind of thing. I remembered the night Allie finally kicked the drugs… not the whole night but snippets"

"that's great Bea. Fantastic news. What was the song?"

"brown eyed girl… by Van Morrison, I know it's not exactly a song for your kid… but she had these incredible big brown eyes as a baby. Everyone would comment on them" Bea announced then smiled as another memory returned to her.

"if you would be ok with it, I'm going to get hold of a copy of that song for you. I want to try playing it as background noise whilst we try and do some recollection exercises. See if we can help get a bit more back"

"sure. I would like that."

"right well. Let's call it a day, and I will get that tape and we will give it a go next week" Bridget smiled as she reached over and turned the tape recorder off, ejecting the tape and Placing it safely in her handbag.

"Hey Frankie, how did the test go?" Jane asked as she answered her mobile.

"I hope ok. I'm shitting myself that I failed though"

"don't, I'm sure it will be fine, and if you didn't pass then we will get you to revise a bit more and you will pass next time, no pressure"

"yeah I guess. I just want to pass it so I can put my studies behind me and focus on working" Frankie sighed.

"listen get yourself home, take a nice bath, get ready and make yourself look a million dollars for when Bridget gets home… then take her out and wine and dine her and forget all about bar exams, legal aid, Wentworth prison, Bea Smith and everything else that isn't Bridget… that's an order from your amazing boss"

"I'm not sure I would go as far as amazing but she's pretty ok… are we still on for Sunday afternoon?"

"cheeky! Definitely no pay rise for you this year! Yep still on for Sunday, do you need me to bring anything?"

"no no, just yourself. Gidge says she's going to do a barbeque whilst we look over this paperwork. So make sure you don't eat a big breakfast, coz if there is one thing she can cook… it's a barbeque"

Hanging up the phone from her boss, Frankie opened up her messages with Bridget, and after a few moments consideration of sending her an invitation to take an early finish, she instead asks 'Hey Babe, on my way back to get some stuff done, what time will you be home?' Satisfied that she hasn't given away the fact that she isn't going back to work, nor that she is going home either, she hit send, turned on her car and headed to the nearest Westfield's to do some retail therapy.

Her body and mind was exhausted, she had spent weeks now working full time, studying full time, and working on Bea's case in every spare minute in between, and it was catching up with her, so she made a mental decision that with only one appointment with her boss on Sunday afternoon. She was going to take the weekend off and focus on Gidge. She had been neglecting her lately, and their relationship, she missed her terribly, but she couldn't stop focussing on Bea's case, there was a mountain of work to go through and she needed to find answers to questions she couldn't even keep track of.

She was pulled from her thoughts by her ringtone echoing from her pocket, thinking it would be Bridget calling in response to her text, she hit the hot key which activated her hands free. She had laughed at people who used to walk around talking away to a device in her ear, but after working paralegal for months and being on the phone constantly, she had caved and purchased one, her elbows thanked her.

"G'day gorgeous, how's the hell hole?" Frankie grinned, she loved the little ball of excitement that bounced around her stomach when the woman of her desires called her, she still had to pinch herself at how lucky she was.

"Hey sexy, it's the same shit hole as usual" Bea grinned into the phone. "let me guess... you didn't look who was calling did you?" Bea laughed.

"Nah... lesson learnt, what can I do for you red?" Frankie laughed, she really enjoyed the new playful side to her friend.

"Well I wanted to check in on how your exams went, she said you were nervous this morning and last night so I just wanted to make sure that you're ok?" Bea asked, careful not to mention any names.

"All good red, I'm still nervous but I think I did ok. There wasn't any questions I couldn't answer, a few I struggled to think of examples for or struggled with specific names and dates... but I would be surprised if I didn't scrape through by the skin of my teeth" Frankie replied, a little surprised that Bea had taken the time to ask the question, she couldn't help but wonder if this was the real Bea, the one that she and Jacs Holt had worn down and beaten out of her.

"Great, I'm proud of you. Your doing fantastic out there, just keep your head up and your nose clean yeah" Bea ordered, her top dog voice almost shining through.

"Trust me Red, I have way too much to lose by messing up now" Frankie smiled at the thought of her girlfriend and the life and home they were building around them.

"Yes, well talking about everything you have to lose... I was speaking to a mutual friend today, who I get the impression is feeling a little bit left out, shall we say. So I'm calling to tell you to forget about the thing your doing for me this weekend, and spend some time with a beautiful woman" Bea tried to get her point across without making it obvious to anyone that may be listening in on their recorded call.

"Talking about me hey?" Frankie grinned.

"She wont shut up about you" Bea laughed softly with a smile, proud of Frankie for finding someone who is smitten with her whilst knowing about her history.

"God, I dread to think what she is saying" Frankie said, wondering if Bea would divulge any dirt on what Bridget says about her.

"You wouldn't want to know... where the hell are you anyway?" Bea asked, checking the timer on the prison phone to see how long she had left and smiling to see she had a few more minutes left.

"I'm just at the shops... I had actually come to the same conclusion all on my own and decided I would pick up some stuff and make a romantic dinner for two tonight" Frankie admitted as she entered a clothing shop to inspect a pair of jeans that had caught her eye.

"Good, god do you know what I would do to be able to just spend the afternoon shopping" Bea frowned.

"Hey Queen Bea, you just focus on getting your memory back and healing those wounds, let me worry about getting you shopping again... yeah?" Frankie smiled warmly, she could hear the desperation and frustration echoing around in Bea's voice.

"Yeah sure, listen I've gotta go, times up. But have a good weekend yeah, and make sure you spoil her rotten, she deserves it... she really loves you, you know" Bea smirked warmly.

"Yeah, I kind of really love her too" Frankie grinned before the phone cut off.

She moved to the changing rooms and tried on the black fitted jeans, checking out her arse in the mirror, she nodded in approval and decided that these were definitely a pair of jeans she needed in her life. She browsed a few more shops until she found a top that would go well with the jeans, something a little dressy, but not too over the top. Then she made her way to her favourite lingerie shop, she was slowly building up her collection of 'adult underwear' as she called it, and tonight she was trying to impress Gidge and so new underwear was a necessity.

She browsed the shops offerings for a long time, often picking up a bra or knickers before changing her mind. She wanted something different to what she normally would select. So far most of her lingerie sets were thongs, practically so they wouldn't show her underwear line in some of her tight office wear clothing, but also because Gidge loved to discover that she was wearing a thong, she always came extra hard when she was wearing one. But she decided it was time to spice things up a bit and try something different, she selected a few different styles and made to the fitting rooms to test them out and see if she liked any of them enough to buy, if not she could always fall back on the good old thong.

After trying each one on, she decided on a French knickers and bra set. She tried it on once more, just to be sure, and nodded in approval at the way the black lace accented her skin tone. After paying for her purchases, she began walking towards Coles, trying to think about what she could make for her love for dinner, when out of the corner of her eye, something caught her attention.

She walked over to a window and began to scan an arrangement of jewellery, with a smile she entered the jewellery store, and after getting the attention of one of the sales people, she asked to see the cuff bracelet from the window display, when the sales person handed it to her, she knew instantly that this was perfect.

"is it for yourself?" The sales person asked warmly, hoping to make a sale, and the look in the customers eyes told her that she was going to be buying this bracelet.

"No it's actually for my girlfriend" Frankie smiled as she examined it closer. There was a line of fresh pearls in the centre, which was bordered by a row on either side of a turquoise gems that was held together by braided tan leather. There was then another row on either side of smaller pearls, which was then held together by a intricate but simple looking braided tan leather. At the part of the cuff where it started and began, was a silver heart, not too big, but just big enough. The turquoise would really bring out the colour in Gidge's eyes, and she knew the woman loved pearls, it was perfect.

"That's lovely" The sales person interrupted the short brunettes thoughts. "is it a special occasion?" She asked genuinely interested. If she didn't show interest, her job would very quickly become boring and painful.

"no not really, I've just been working a lot lately, and wanted to get her something to remind her of how special she is to me" Frankie admitted shyly, wondering why she was divulging so much information to a stranger.

"Well, if you would be interested, for an extra charge, we can engrave the heart, make it that little bit more personal and special" the sales woman announced excitedly, the bracelet was in no way cheap, but she got bonuses if she could upsell on things like extras and insurance.

"you know what, I think I will take this. And yes I would like it engraved, how many characters can it have?" Frankie decided with a nod, she knew she probably shouldn't be splashing out on a piece of jewellery, especially when it wasn't even for a special occasion, but what is more special than being in love, she smirked to herself at the thought... what the hell had Bridget turned her into?

"We should be able to fit up to 20 characters, if I was to use a small font... do you know what you might like to have inscribed?" The woman asked.

"Yeah. Can you just put B.W & F.D. that's it" Frankie asked and smiled when the sales assistant nodded, she paid the bill and was told to come back in an hour to pick it up once they had inscribed it for her.

She left the shop and made her way to Coles, almost brimming with excitement. She practically danced around the aisles, picking up all the items she would need and placing them lovingly in her trolley. Having paid for her groceries, she made her way to the nearest B.W.S. and picked out a few bottles of wine that she knew would compliment the main and desert she was going to make. She grabbed a bottle of Bridget's favourite champagne too, if she was going to all the effort, why not splurge, Frankie thought.

After picking up the bracelet and having it gift wrapped, she made her way home to get started.


	14. Chapter 14

Bridget had messaged Frankie telling her that she would be home by 6.30pm, it was a Friday evening and so she had a few things she needed to do so that she could turn off completely for the weekend and hopefully get to spend some time with her girlfriend.

She was finally pulling into the drive, her mind on ordering a takeaway, putting on a movie and cuddling up in Frankie's arms, she grinned at seeing Frankie's little car pulled up in its usual space, at least she's already home, probably slaving away in her office, Bridget smiled.

After collecting her belongings, she entered her house to the smell of something cooking, the aroma wafting from the kitchen was incredible. "Something smells good babe" Bridget grinned, hopefully they would still be snuggling up with a movie, even if takeaway wasn't on the menu anymore. Bridget laughed as Frankie ran around the corner to greet her, seeming a little frazzled but looking stunning.

"Hey beautiful, your early" Frankie stated as she leaned in and kissed the blonde bombshell before her.

"Yeah, I missed you and I had everything wrapped up so I came home" Bridget grinned into the kiss, amused by Frankie's antics.

"well listen, it's a mess through there, so why don't you just go and jump in the bath, and I'll tidy up a bit and bring you a glass of wine in a few" Frankie suggested, the bath was already run anyways, it would just need topping up with a little hot water, but Bridget didn't know that.

"why don't you want me to go through there Frankie" Bridget asked suspiciously with a grin, she hadn't seen this side of Frankie before she seemed almost nervous.

"You can if you want, its just a mess. I just thought you would prefer to have a nice bath and wash the stink of Wentworth off off you whilst I cook you dinner" Frankie smiled sheepishly.

"So you don't have a woman in there you're trying to sneak out?" Bridget grinned cheekily as she saw the fluster and confusion on Frankie's face.

"What... of course not Gidge, come on you know you're more than enough woman for me, I'm not interested in anyone else" Frankie grinned sexily as she pulled Bridget into a searing kiss which left the blonde breathless.

"Ok" she relented as she finally pulled away from Frankie's kiss. "I guess a bath would be nice, you look good by the way, very sexy" Bridget flirted as she ran her hands over Frankie's arse. "New jeans?"

"See this is what I love about you, you notice things like that" Frankie smiled confidently as she took Bridget's hand and guided her into the candle lit bathroom, the bath was run already and the smell of Bridget's favourite bath oils filled the room.

"Wow... someone was prepared" Bridget smiled as she wrapped her arms around Frankie's waist from behind as the younger woman bent over to top the bath up with hot water.

"Listen, you jump in there, let me just go and check on dinner and then I will bring you a glass of wine and scrub your back for you ok?" Frankie grinned and left before Bridget could argue. She watched the brunette leave the room, her eyes glued to the perfect backside that swayed softly in the new tight fitting jeans she was wearing. With a contented sigh, Bridget stripped and slid into the bath, her body instantly relaxing.

Her eyes opened as she heard the music start up softly, and she found Frankly looking at her lovingly holding a flute of champagne in her hand.

"Champagne?" Bridget asked surprised.

"Well I decided tonight I would spoil you a bit, you almost messed my plans up by getting home early" Frankie smiled impishly at her partner as she handed her the champagne and perched on the edge of the bath and took in the beautiful sight before her.

"I could get used to coming home to this" Bridget grinned as she took her first sip of the perfectly chilled champagne, she moaned in satisfaction when she realised Frankie had splashed out and gotten her favourite champagne, despite it being an expensive taste. Frankie just smiled in return to Bridget's questioning glance.

"Now I have to go and finish dinner ok, it will be ready in about 20 minutes" Frankie informed her as she leant forward and brushed her lips against Bridget's, grinning as she tasted the sweetness of the champagne on her lips.

"Mmmmm, you taste good" Frankie leant in for another kiss.

"You smell good" Bridget grinned into the kiss.

"New perfume... I have a few more surprises for you tonight Miss Westfall" Frankie placed one more soft kiss to Bridget's lips before escaping the bathroom and leaving Bridget to wonder what Frankie had in store for her that night, she felt a tremor of excitement rush through her at the thought. With a contented sigh, she took another sip of her champagne and let the bath envelope her for another fifteen minutes.

Rising from the bath, Bridget grabbed her towel, sighing in satisfaction when she realised Frankie had remembered to turn her towel warmer on and her towel wrapped around her. Glancing in the mirror she could see that her hair was still perfectly in place, but after seeing how Frankie was dressed and the effort she had gone to for dinner, she wiped off her make up, shaking her head at how little make up remover she had left, it appeared Frankie didn't like to share her own things but was happy to help herself to Bridget's things, she grinned with a shake of her head and began applying a fresh batch of subtle make up.

Walking into the bedroom, she stopped when she found a note and a single red rose laid on their bed. Picking it up, she smelt the rose and inhaled its sweet aroma before opening the note.

'Gidge, I'm sorry I have been so wrapped up in work lately that I have been neglecting the most important part of my life. Get yourself ready and come find me in the kitchen, I have a night planned that is all about loving you and I cant wait to start it with you.

All my love forever and always

Frankie xxx'

Bridget grinned as she reread the love note, she couldn't believe how lucky she was with Frankie. She had had relationships in the past, some only lasting a few dates and some lasting a few months, but none seemed to suit her, there was always something that just wasn't... right. And she wasn't going to waste her time on something that was going nowhere, but with Frankie, everything just felt right. She thought back to their first few meetings in Wentworth, how Frankie had flirted unashamedly, and Bridget could tell it was just the person Frankie was, but there was something pulling her towards the younger Brunette, some allure that made her want to, need to get to know this person better. And she knew right away it wasn't in a professional sense, she had never had a client that she had practically obsessed over so much. She just needed to find out more about Frankie, she longed to know everything about her, what made her smile, what made her laugh, what made her sad, why she was so closed up and defensive, why she was so angry despite wearing a mask that she was cool and collected. And the further she got to know the woman, the more she needed to know her. There was no point in denying that Frankie was very quickly becoming the love of her life, they had been together for, god six months since Frankie was released from Wentworth, suddenly Bridget's heart stopped, it was their six month anniversary and she had completely forgotten about it, crap.

She quickly got dressed, throwing on some underwear that she knew Frankie loved, she put on her favourite skinny jeans and grabbed a top that she knew Frankie approved of because she constantly admired her cleavage and ended up ravishing her every time she wore it.

She exited the bedroom and bumped straight into the woman of her affections.

"Hey, there you are. I was just coming to check that you hadn't fallen asleep in there again, dinners ready" Frankie grinned, she ran her eyes approvingly over her girlfriends clothing choice, her breath hitching when she realised what top Bridget was wearing.

"Happy six months anniversary baby" Bridget cooed as if she had known all along, she grabbed Frankie's hips teasingly and pulled them both together until they met in the middle in a searing kiss, when Frankie finally pulled away from the kiss, she frowned.

"it's not our six month anniversary babe, I just wanted to spoil you" She grinned.

"oh... well then now I don't feel bad for forgetting our six month anniversary, because you have too" Bridget grinned at Frankie's confusion, she could see the brunette working out dates in her head before her eyes popped open in shock.

"Holy crap it is too... shit, sorry babe I totally didn't realise" Frankie kissed her girlfriend softly.

"I guess we are even then... anyway, happy six months anniversary baby" Bridget grinned as she repeated herself.

"Yeah... you too, you know... that makes this officially my longest ever relationship right?" Frankie smiled sheepishly.

"Really?"

"uh-huh. That makes you pretty bloody special" Frankie said honestly as her lips found Bridget's neck and she teased the flesh there, waiting for the deep groan she never failed to arouse from her lover. She wasn't disappointed.

"Your pretty special too babe, your actually my longest relationship too, so it looks like we were made for each other" Bridget grinned as she felt her back press against the wall as Frankie continued her sweet assault at her neck. God this woman drove her nuts.

"You know if you keep doing that, we will be skipping out on dinner right, your making it really hard for me to not just pull your clothes off and have you for dinner instead" Bridget whispered sexily and was rewarded with Frankie's lips growing more desperate and feverish against her neck and jaw.

"God baby" Bridget moaned, breaking Frankie from her trance. She pulled back from Bridget, feeling herself panting in excitement. She watched Bridget's chest rising and falling with the same speed and effort as her own, Bridget leant back against the wall, her head thrown slightly back as she grinned at her girlfriend.

"I love the way you attack my neck" Bridget drawled

"Stop it... come on before dinner is ruined" Frankie grinned, knowing fine well that Bridget was trying to seduce her into carrying on. She took her hand and led her to the dining room

Bridget gasped as she entered the candle lit area, music was playing softly in the background and dinner was placed on an immaculately laid table. Candles were laid everywhere around the room, and in the middle of the two place settings was an elegant yet modern candelabra which Bridget had never seen before.

"someone has gone to a lot of effort... it looks incredible in here babe, and smells even better" Bridget grinned as she pulled Frankie into a tight embrace, allowing her hug to express all the love she had for the woman who had clearly spent a lot of time and effort to do this for her.

"You know, no one has ever made me a candle lit dinner before" Bridget whispered against the shorter woman's ear, smiling as she felt the woman tremble excitedly in her embrace.

"Your kidding me... it shocks me when you say things like that, like seriously, how could any other woman not go out of their way to impress and seduce you" Frankie placed a tender kiss to Bridget's already sensitive neck.

"Maybe I just never found anyone that was half as amazing as you" Bridget purred as she leant back and kissed Frankie softly on the lips before looking deeply into her eyes.

"I love you, you are the best thing to ever happen to me" Bridget admitted, her flirting gone, leaving behind just an unashamed honesty.

"It's not hard to love someone as amazing as you Gidge, your incredible, I owe you my life, and I know that I have been really wrapped in up work lately, but I took the afternoon off and decided that tonight I wanted to make you feel as special and as loved as you have made me feel every day since I left Wentworth" Frankie smiled sheepishly.

"Now come on, lets eat before dinner is completely ruined" She led the blonde to the table, and surprised her by pulling out her chair, going to every effort she could to make Bridget feel her love. She took her own seat next to Bridget and picked up her glass of wine, holding it to Bridget to chink.

"to the most beautiful woman in the world" Frankie grinned, her flirting side coming back to the surface.

"to you" Bridget grinned as she met their glasses in the middle, took a sip then began eating the prawn and pumpkin risotto that Frankie had made. They ate in almost silence as they enjoyed the taste of the food and how the wine accented the flavours, appreciative moans filled the room.

"I have a present for you" Frankie finally announced as she pulled a box out from under the table that had been hidden on a chair.

"Babe, you didn't need to buy me a present" Bridget grinned

"I wanted to, I realised that I hadn't really bought you anything special, and I just wanted to get something that you could wear and know how much I adore you, and how much you mean to me. I saw it today and I just thought it was perfect for you and had to buy it" Frankie admitted as she placed the box on the table and pushed it nervously towards Bridget, she knew the woman would love it, but she still felt nervous, perhaps it was because she had never bought another woman jewellery before.

Bridget opened it slowly, her attention focussed between the delicately wrapped gift box and the brunette who was watching nervously. Finally she exposed the bracelet and gasped in surprise.

"Babe, its beautiful, I love it, I really love it" Bridget grinned as she removed it from its box and ran her fingers over the pearls. she offered it over to Frankie, who willingly wrapped it around her wrist and fastened it.

Bridget admired it for a few seconds, running her fingers over the differing textures of the pearls and the turquoise gems, she loved how the tan leather accented the colours and pulled the bracelet together in a intricate yet modern way. She felt her eyes fill with tears and laughed internally at herself. This was the first time she had ever received jewellery from a partner, and Frankie had chosen perfectly. She looked towards the little silver heart beside the fastener and saw a design on it, taking a closer look, she realised it read

B.W

F.D

"Sweetheart, this is the best present I have ever received, I love it so much... thankyou" Bridget leant lovingly towards her partner and kissed her softly.

"I really love you, you know" Bridget whispered against the kiss.

"I really love you too" Frankie grinned, pleased with herself that she was able to make Bridget so happy.

Frankie finally pulled away from their gentle kisses to clear away their dishes, returning, she grabbed Bridget's hand and led her into the living room where the fire was lit in the fireplace and more candles surrounded the room. Frankie had set up a cosy area just in front of the fire, piles of blankets laid on the floor with cushions scattered everywhere. She let the blonde to the blankets and told her to get comfortable before disappearing. Bridget glanced around the room as she lay down and shuffled around till she was comfortable, she couldn't believe the night she was having.

She had come home expecting to have to beg Frankie to turn off from being a lawyer and have take away and a movie with her, and instead she had come home to a candle lit bubble bath, followed by a candle lit dinner made by her girlfriend, who was dressed to impress only one person, and now she was laid in their living room besides a fire waiting for the love of her life to return. Bridget grinned to herself as she realised she definitely thought of Frankie as the love of her life. She glanced again at her new bracelet, feeling herself swoon as she ran her fingers over the engraved heart. Her attention was caught by a clearing of the throat and she looked up to find Frankie standing with a cheeky smirk on her face. 'Caught out' Bridget grinned as she patted the blankets beside her and motioned for Frankie to join her.

"I thought we could do desert in here" Frankie announced as she placed a platter on the floor, Bridget marvelled at the array of fruit that had been thoughtfully placed around the platter, there were also little dishes containing different flavoured desert sauces. Frankie picked up a strawberry and dipped into the dish of melted chocolate before bringing it to Bridget's lips, with a seductive smile, Bridget accepted the strawberry into her mouth, making such to catch Frankie's fingers too and took great pleasure in slowly sucking the chocolate from them, her eyes sought out Frankie's and were pleased to find them darkened with desire.

"Holy fuck Gidge" Frankie breathed out as she dived forward to cover Bridget's lips with her own.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N - and this chapter concludes my mass posting... again, apologies for my lack of posting over the weekend, unfortunatly life has to take the front seat sometimes, but i will try to not allow too many gaps and too long a time pass between posts.

Thanks to all of those reviewing, i read each review and take the critisism with a pinch of salt, and the praise with a huge smile. to the reviewer who commented in my flaw in the heights of Bridget and Frankie, thankyou for bringing this to my attention, i had not realised that i had gotten it wrong, however i am kind of invested now, so will have to keep it as it is, but thankyou for letting me know about my fk up, note to self to fact check better in future!

for those of you reading and not reviewing, and i can see from the stats that there is a few hundred of you, thankyou for taking the time to read my fic, please continue to do so, each hit is appreciated :)

On to chapter 15... enjoy!

AL xx

"Hey Jane" Bridget welcomed from the barbeque as she saw Frankie's boss enter their back garden, she had only met the woman a handful of time over drinks after work when she met up with Frankie, but the woman seemed genuinely nice and seemed to approve of Frankie and was happy to help her.

"Hi Bridget, nice to see you again" Jane smiled warmly as she sat at the table near the barbeque and they exchanged small talk until Frankie returned with her laptop.

"Can I get either of you a drink?" Bridget asked as she watched her partner switch back into work mode, she had spent the weekend so far making love with and relaxing with Frankie, nobody else in the world existed and they were happy and content in their own little bubble, which had now burst as Frankie got back to work.

"Thanks babe, I would love a beer... Jane?" Frankie looked to her boss who nodded in approval, she turned her glance towards her partner, who she was happy to notice was still wearing the bracelet, in fact she hadn't taken it off since Friday other than to bath and shower.

Bridget smiled at her and threw her a playful wink, before disappearing to get some beers and let the two women get onto work.

"So where are we at Frankie... how is this case going?" Jane asked warmly, noticing the twinkle in Frankie's eyes.

"It's going ok... but I am nowhere near where I wanted to be. I feel like I keep getting side tracked by other things that pop up" Frankie frowned.

"Well you know that's not necessarily a bad thing, you never know which thread will lead you into something that could blow a case wide open. You have to be thorough, look into everything, and only eliminate it when your certain it doesn't hold weight in your case. Even then you need to keep it in mind, just in case the opposing side brings it up. Your doing really well, this is a massive case Frankie, anyone, even the best legal team, would feel the weight of it eventually, and you have been doing this all on your own" Jane smiled as she patted Frankie's wrist warmly.

"Now lets take a look and see where we are. Lets start from the end and work our way forwards ok. Where are we with the freak thing" Jane asked, smiling her thanks at Bridget as the woman handed her a cold Hahn Super dry.

"well so far I have been unable to find out how Bea got outside, and until her memories come back, I doubt I will be able to. I suspect strongly that it is foul play from a prison official, but I have no way to confirm that yet. If that is the case... then we can push for a sentence reduce based on Bea being seriously injured due to neglect of care... but I need to find out exactly what happened before I can guarantee on being able to use that" Frankie frowned, the mystery of how Bea Smith managed to get outside the prison to confront the freak was starting to piss her off, if she was still on the inside she would be able to find out far easier.

"And there is no footage in the archives showing it?" Jane asked, frowning when Frankie shook her head.

"The only footage showing anything to do with Bea that day is her wandering around as normal, and then suddenly she is outside, the freak appears, they say something, Bea lunges forward with what we now know was a screwdriver, which we don't know where it came from, Ferguson overpowers her and suddenly Fergusson is stabbing the shit out of her, seventeen bloody times! Seriously, you need to see this to understand how much of a psycho this woman is" Frankie announced, turning her screen to her boss who gasped in disgust.

"Jesus, she almost looks... turned on by it, like it is a fantasy finally being played out... but that's good, we can use that to build the bigger picture for the jurors, I doubt anyone will look at this and not feel disgust and horror" Jane stated, as she nodded to her friend to continue.

"Right, I also reviewed the footage of the freaks visits with Shayne, I mean I know that he was involved somehow and after he tried to shoot me he disappeared off the face of the earth, so I got Vera to check up on the visits Shayne paid her inside, then I found the footage. Now from one of the camera angles, you can just about see Fergusson talking to Shayne, you can't tell its Shayne from the footage because its just the back of his head, but with the date and time stamped footage, and a copy of his arrival signature in the log in book at the prison, we can link the two together... now what's interesting is, I got a friend to clean up the imagery a little bit, and then sent the finalised footage to Greg at work... " Frankie grinned at her boss "don't worry he did it last weekend and it cost me a carton of Budweiser Light" Jane nodded her approval and Frankie continued.

"So his brother in law is a forensic analyst, some big wig in the Melbourne police, and he looked over the footage and was able to lip read what was said... now the good thing here is, he has qualifications in analysing footage and reading peoples body language and lip reading right... so he wrote out a transcript... and basically Ferguson is giving Shayne this cryptic message to be at the courthouse with a gun and to shoot Will Jackson"

"The prison officer? How does he come into it?" Jane asked in confusion.

"Well in two ways. Firstly before working at the prison, he was a social worker, and he was the case worker that had a child removed from a prisoner called Jiana at Blackmoor, Jiana and Ferguson had an illicit affair, the baby that was removed by Will Jackson was Jiana's baby, and so Ferguson wanted revenge on him for that. Will Jackson and Bea have always had a close relationship too... not in a sordid way, but in a mutual respect kind of way, he visited her daughter in the morgue to say goodbye to her for Bea, He went to her daughters funeral when she couldn't go, she saved his ass when he was wrongly accused of murdering her ex, she helped him out when the red right hand tried to frame him for the murder, the two of them ran into a burning building to save my life... it goes on and on, they are like a fucked up version of Batman and Robin" Frankie laughed at her own joke and took a sip of her beer.

"ok, so how does this help Bea?" Jane asked, for the first time getting a sense of what Frankie meant when she said it was overwhelming.

"well that's just it, I'm not 100% certain it does yet, but there's just this gut feeling that it does some way. Perhaps it just helps to paint the bigger picture of the shit storm that Bea was caught up in and that she really was fighting for her own life. It doesn't excuse her actions, but it does give us arguable doubt that she had to act the way she did, or she would have been killed"

Jane nodded in thought. "We need to find out how Bea got outside that day, that could be the key to all of this"

"I reckon it is probably the same person who allowed the freak to hotshot Allie, drug and try to murder Bea and get the drugs into prison both times... for all I know it could be the same person who did the hit on Nils Jesper" Frankie sighed.

"Talking of Nils Jesper... now Ferguson got off on her charges because he was no longer able to testify because he just happened to be murdered that day. Now firstly I know for a fact that Ferguson hired the hit on him, I just need to work out how she did it and who she hired, that will bring charges to her own sentence. I managed to find the manuscripts of his interviews with the police after his arrest, now they don't go into fantastic detail... but they do show him admitting to running down Officer Fletcher on the order of Ferguson, and also the attempted murder of Fletcher... now he also says something interesting in here... where is it, hold on" Frankie opens up the file and flicks through it till she finds the place she had highlighted and put notations next to it.

"Look here... 'she called all the shots, I was told where to go and what to do, and I did it. She would pay me in cash which she would leave in an envelope on top of the tyre of her car, and I would go and collect it. If I needed a key or id pass to get into somewhere for the next job, she would put it in there too'… now this got me thinking, where Ferguson would be sending him where he needed keys and ID's... I think she sent him into the prison to attack Bea. There was this chick called Jodie, and basically, long story short... the freak was torturing her in the slot, Bea and I found out and tried to help her, Bea was going with Jodie to the hearing of the complaint she made about the freak and suddenly Bea just flips out, goes all crazy and gets herself put on the psych ward... completely out of the blue! then it was discovered that she had drugs in her system, and Bea doesn't touch drugs especially after what happened to her daughter. Now Bea was convinced some man attacked her, but everyone thought she was crazy right..." Frankie threw an apologetic smile to Bridget, who at the time had also thought Bea was losing her mind.

"Well anyway, it turns out that some guy did get into the prison to attack her, and his name was Nils Jesper. Now I'm sure Gidge would have had to write up reports about it at the time, stating that Bea was convinced she was attacked by some guy." Frankie glanced at Bridget who was listening intently, impressed by the tangled web her partner was navigating through like an old pro. Bridget nodded her head in confirmation that such report did in fact exist.

"so we have Bea Smith in a psych ward with drugs in her system that she didn't take herself. We have Nils Jesper saying that the freak provided him with keys and id if needed... I managed to get my mate Boomer to look through Bea's things and found a picture of the guy that attacked her, its Nils Jesper, but I have no way of proving when it was drawn... that was until that I remembered that Bea andFfletcher were in cahoots after Bea realised it was the freak who tried to have him killed, anyways, Bea gave him the picture, which he photocopied... at work. A friend of a friend told of me this way that you can get into a photocopier machines internal computer to retrieve information, it normally only lasts a year, but because the photocopier is in a prison, the prison is required to replace the chip once a year so that all records are kept a hold of. I spoke to Vera and found out where they kept the old chips, and low and behold they were stored in her office. I got my friend to walk her through how to retrieve the data and bingo... we have proof that Bea's image thatFfletcher photocopied was on a date well before Nils Jesper was arrested, and so Bea couldn't have known what he looked like and forge the picture to tamper with evidence. I then decided to have a little look on the cctv footage around the prison on the date Bea was attacked by this guy, and guess what... a van registered to him, with a guy looking suspiciously like him is seen driving to and parking near the prison, then leaving half an hour later... it shows him holding something against his neck too.. Which would likely be a tissue or something to staunch the blood from where Bea gouged out a piece of his neck as he attacked her. Now Bea found his skin under her nails, she managed to get it outside the prison and to Kaz Proctor, who had a friend in the police who ran a scan. I spoke to a few people and managed to get his name... and he emailed me the report he had to do with his findings."

"Holy shit" both Jane and Bridget looked shocked after they caught up with Frankie's narration.

"So you can link Ferguson to hiring a hitman to attack Bea, you can trace the guy to being in the area at the time Bea would have been attacked and leaving with an injury which Bea gave him, and you have forensic evidence from the police linking that it was definitely him. you have a written testimony from him that Ferguson had means to let him in... that's fantastic, it proves that Ferguson was out to get Bea and that Bea's self defence claim isn't unfounded" Jane grinned, proud of the young woman sat in front of her who was nodding tiredly.

"the only thread I cant get in this, is Fletcher, he has literally dropped off the face of the earth. If I could find him and get him to testify, then that would just cement this whole part of the case" Frankie frowned.

"I can help with that" Bridget smiled. "Vera knows where he is, they stay in touch"

"Why would he stay in touch with Vera?" Frankie asked confused.

"They had a bit of a thing back in the day and have remained friends. He is in South Australia, he took his insurance money, cashed it out and moved. Bought a farm with cash using a new name so the freak couldn't find him, and is living a peaceful life... apparently he has met a girl called Claire and is happily in love and better than ever" Bridget announced, wondering why Frankie hadn't brought it up earlier and she could have solved the mystery.

"Wait, Fletch and Vera... Jesus... ouch! I mean Jane, you have to understand... Vera is this tiny little thing, barely five foot five and Fletch is this huge monster of a man, easily six foot three, and well built... I mean that has got to hurt, it would be like a Pug mating with a Doberman!" Frankie said seriously causing laughter from her two companions, she scrunched her face in disgust. "How do you know so much about this anyway Gidge?"

"Vera was a bit cut up about it when she found out, remember that night we went out for dinner and drinks at the last minute, not long after you got out? After a few wines she broke down and spilled her guts about it, I think its safe to say that the new officer... Jake Stewart, has taken her mind off her broken heart though" Bridget smiled, glad that she could assist.

"Right, I'll set up a meeting with Vera and try and get hold of Fletch, see if he would be interested in helping make sure the freak is gone for good. If he is trying to settle down and is scared enough to disappear and change his name, then I'm sure he will want the safety of knowing she cant get to him" Frankie nodded, more to herself than anything as she opened up a word document and began aggressively typing out notes of things she needed to do following on from this meeting.

"Lunch" Bridget announced as she began carrying over plates of meat and bowls of salad. The three women sat chatting easily as they ate, Jane telling Frankie and Bridget all about the antics of her husband and children, telling the two women that they would have to come for dinner one weekend and meet her family. Bridget and Frankie nodding their thanks and setting it up.

As Monday morning approached, Frankie found herself kissing her girlfriend goodbye and jumping in the car for a few days away. She had cleared it with Jane, and after visiting Vera with a bottle of wine on Sunday night, Bridget and Frankie had convinced Vera to pass on Fletch's address, with a promise that Frankie would keep it top secret. And so now Frankie found herself driving to the airport to catch an impromptu flight to Adelaide, where she would pick up her hire car, and go find Fletch.

It was a short flight, only an hour and a half, and Frankie was soon collecting her flight bag and making her way to the hire car place, glad to not be stood in the queues of people waiting for their suitcases to arrive on the conveyor belt. She picked up the keys and was escorted to a large 4x4, after researching the address she had been given for Fletch late last night, she had decided that to get to the secluded area he lived in, she needed a practical vehicle, she was pleased with the two year old Mitsubishi Pajero Exceed that she was given. After depositing her bag in the back seat, she fired up the GPS and input Fletch's address and began the three hour drive from the airport to his farm, she was nervous of the reception she would receive and wasn't sure if Vera would keep her promise and not forewarn Fletch she was coming.

As the kilometres passed, and the scenery changed from city, to suburbs, to rural, Frankie felt herself relax a little and enjoy the car ride, her musings were interrupted by her phone ringing through her earpiece.

"Franky Doyle" She answered warmly.

"I hate you being in a different state, it feels weird" Bridget sighed, glad to hear her partners voice.

"Hey baby, I know right, I wish you were with me, its actually really beautiful out here. I have never been a country girl but Jesus, its so quiet and still... I reckon I need to bring you here one day" Frankie grinned at the thought of taking her girlfriend on their first holiday.

"I would very much love that, I just wanted to check in and make sure you arrived alright" Bridget grinned, she loved hearing how relaxed her partner was, it was obvious just in the tone of her voice.

"Yep no problems, I got searched at the airport by security though, the whole works, bag check, drug swab, bomb swap, sniffer dogs... you name it" Frankie grinned, she couldn't feel angry at them, she knew if she was airport security and a convicted ex prisoner came through, she would be extra careful, its what made flights safer after all.

"I'm sorry baby, that's probably something you will need to get used to. Anyways I just wanted to make sure you arrived and were ok, I have an appointment with Bea in a few minutes so will be busy for a few hours" Bridget frowned, slightly jealous that she was stuck in her office whilst Frankie was off driving around South Australia.

"It could be worse, I could still be inside right... I probably have about another two hours drive to go before I reach Fletch's, I'm going to stop in the next town for a coffee and some breakfast, then try and get this drive over, he had better be there when I get there" Frankie grimaced at the thought.

"Did you get the car ok? Is it nice?" Bridget asked, her conversation interrupted as Officer Miles entered her office with Bea, she smiled warmly at the two women and motioned for Bea to take a seat and she would be with her in a second.

"Yeah its really nice, very butch. I will send you a photo when I stop" Frankie laughed.

"You do that, I will look forward to it, I have to go baby, Bea's here" Bridget said.

"Ok, have fun... say hey to Red for me" Frankie replied happily, she liked how close her partner and best friend were getting, her grin broadened when she heard Bridget pass her message along to her friend, who called out 'Hey Frankie' in return.

"Ill speak to you later on ok, love you babe" Frankie grinned into the phone, she couldn't get enough of saying those words to Bridget.

"Yep love you too, drive safely"

"So where is driving?" Bea asked with an amused smirk at the flush of happiness on Bridget's face.

"I cant really say... but lets just say she has gone to see an old friend who may be able to help her with a problem" Bridget winked knowingly at Bea, she didn't want to risk messing anything up for Fletch.

"Ah right... well it cant be the governor because I just bumped into her" Bea laughed as Bridget rolled her eyes.

"You know Frankie threatened me that if I encouraged your jokes on her crush she was going to start punishing me" Bridget grinned cheekily.

"Ahhh, where's the fun in that! I guess that means it's up to me and the girls to keep the ribbing alive then" Bea giggled.

"hell no, I told her she can do her worst" Bridget laughed, they were interrupted by Bridget's phone beeping still in her hand, she threw an apologetic look at Bea and when she looked she realised it was a picture message from Frankie, she quickly opened it and guffawed quickly before turning the phone for Bea to see.

Franky had obviously found a town to stop in, and had managed to get someone to take a picture of her sat on the bonnet of her hire car, a large black 4x4, complete with snorkel, spotlights and roof mounts with an array of tools. Franky was wearing a pair of skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and a plaid shirt, and had found a straw hat from somewhere. She was chewing cheekily on a piece of straw and had two border collies sat at the front tire, and an Australian cattle dog sat on the bonnet next to her, she looked like she belonged in the countryside.

"Oh god, that is priceless... she looks like she is on that tv show 'Farmer wants a Wife' " Bea almost hyperventilated with laughter.

Bridget quickly typed out a message with a huge grin on her face before silencing her phone, tossing it on her desk and turning her attention to the red head in front of her.

"So Bea, how was your weekend?"

"from what Frankie told me of her plans on Friday, I'm going to hazard a guess that it wasn't as good as yours" Bea winked suggestively causing Bridget to laugh as she flushed.

"Yes we did have a rather good weekend... thankyou for talking her into taking it off" Bridget thanked her honestly.

"Oh I phoned, all ready to kick her arse and tell her she was banned from anything with my name on it, but she was one step ahead and was already at the shops and making plans" Bea confided with a smirk.

"I take it her plans paid out then" Bea asked, genuinely interested in the happiness of her two friends.

"Yeah, it was lovely, when we get you out of here you will have to try Frankie's cooking... my god, I have to hold myself back so I don't become overweight, I could just keep eating and eating" Bridget promised with a smirk.

"It's a date" Bea announced, the sat quietly, losing herself in her thought.

"What's on your mind Bea?" Bridget asked noticing the change.

"I was thinking maybe its time to change my hair... I mean I know I've pretty much always had it like this in prison, I mean Frankie even named me after it, but I don't feel like it suits me anymore" Bea opened her thoughts up to let Bridget in.

"and why is that worrying you?"

"I just feel like its another step away from the person I was" Bea admitted shyly.

"is that such a bad thing? Your changing. Your adapting, growing. Frankie isn't the same person as she was this time last year, I know I'm not either... we all evolve Bea"

"Yeah but the person I was, is the person Allie fell in love with, If I change too much... maybe she wont love me anymore" Bea confessed the root of her problem.

"Ok well to begin with, I doubt very much that is going to be an issue here, Allie worships the ground that you walk on, she's crazy about you, and even if she didn't make it obvious, I can tell you for a fact that its true because she told me... secondly, your not the same person you were anymore Bea, you cant live your live acting a certain way for the benefit of someone, despite who they are or how important they are to you. If they are a good person, then they will grow with you, they will watch as you evolve and they will flourish with pride... if they don't, then perhaps it isn't a healthy relationship for you to be in" Bridget watched the internal struggle on Bea's face.

"Allie loves you Bea, the colour of your hair isn't going to change that, I promise you this" Bridget took her friends hand in her own and smiled softly as the other woman nodded unsurely.

"So what colour are you thinking of?" Bridget suddenly asked excitedly, hoping to inject some confidence into the woman in front of her.

"I was thinking back to my natural... I have been having a lot of memories lately, mainly of Debbie being little, and she always used to play with my hair, I would put her down to sleep at night and she would just lay there staring at me with her big eyes and twirling my hair around her finger, I think I want to go back to how it was then" Bea confessed.

"More memories hey?" Bridget prodded.

"Yeah, a lot more actually, I kind of feel like I remember almost as I have forgotten now... its almost like there are just some little parts of my life that are missing" Bea confided.

"That's great news, have you found a pattern to when the seem to come back?" Bridget asked thoughtfully, when she saw the blush flush across Bea's face, she wondered what her secret was.

"They seem to mainly come back when Allie and I are... being intimate..." Bea admitted.

"Well I suppose that's understandable, I mean we know that your memory seems to come back best when your relaxed and not trying to force it, and when are you ever as relaxed as you are when your... being intimate" Bridget smiled, showing Bea that she had nothing to be embarrassed over.

"I guess, it just makes it a little awkward sometimes, I mean we will be lost in this really beautiful moment, then all of a sudden I'm freaking out because I'm having a memory of getting my arse handed to me by Harry... for example"

"Do you think that's the source of your concern over your hair colour? Because of the feelings that have been dragged up over Harry recently?" Bridget guided.

"I guess, I mean I know Allie isn't Harry, she couldn't be further...but..." As Bea trailed off, Bridget took pity.

"and that's the whole point here, Allie isn't Harry, and its just going to take some time for you to come to terms with that and trust in it. Allie will support you no matter what, she will help and guide you through this, if anything she is just concerned about pushing you too far" Bridget confided, knowing that she shouldn't really be divulging information from another patient, but this once wouldn't hurt anyone.

"Thanks Bridge, you know I think I would have lost my mind if I didn't have you to talk to everyday" Bea admitted.

"Well I am always here for you, professionally and personally, Frankie's family is my family, and I just want to see you healthy and happy again, so whatever I can do to help, you just let me know and if I can, I will... yeah?" Bridget soothed, smiling when she saw Bea give a teary nod.

After the session, Bea returned to the unit to find the residents of H1 sitting around the table and playing cards, Allie grinned at her as she entered and Bea kissed her softly on the forehead.

"Hey Maxi, reckon you could give me a hand in the showers?" Bea asked, causing surprise to everyone around the table, but mostly to Maxi and Allie who glanced to each other in confusion, Allie gently nodded towards Maxi, granting her approval to do ask Bea asked and that it wouldn't cause any problems.

Maxine rose and followed Bea, waiting until they were out of sight and hearing before pulling her to a stop with a questioning glance.

"Ok, Allie is wanting to kick my arse right now, despite how well she hides it, so tell me what's going on?" Maxi demanded softly.

"I need your help dying my hair and I wanted it to be a surprise for Allie" Bea said with a laugh.

"Oh is that all... well come on then" Maxi grabbed Bea's arm and guided her towards the bathrooms.

"How's the rug rat?" Bea asked quietly once she knew they were alone in the communal bathrooms.

"Growing... it wont be long now before Booms cant hide it anymore" Maxi grinned.

"How are you feeling about it all?"

"Excited, so, so excited. I know Booms and I aren't in a intimate kind of relationship, but I do love her, she is one of my best friends and I think the world of her, its an amazing experience to be doing something like this with someone you love like that... but I'm scared about what's going to happen when people find out... I mean what will the repercussions be from the governor? What will the other women say... I'm just worried is all... and what if someone tries to hurt Booms because they don't approve?"

"Really Maxi, I think your just worrying, for worrying's sake... you have me and the girls, we will protect our family... and no one is going to actively hurt a pregnant woman are they" Bea asked, thinking about how her own daughter had fallen victim to a woman in prison. She had been getting a lot of memories about Debbie lately, and she happily lavished herself in the memories.

"I guess your right... I'm just worried" Maxi admitted.

"Come here" Bea pulled Maxine into a huge hug, the pair laughing when some of Bea's hair dye went all over Maxine's cheek and neck.

"Surprise" Maxine called out two hours later when they returned to H1, They had dyed Bea's hair, then given it a quick trim to tidy it up before using the only hair dryer in the prison to style it a little.

"Holy shit Bea, you look fantastic" Boomer yelled excitedly as she jumped up and bounced like a child.

"Thanks Booms, girls" Bea grinned at the beaming faces nodding appreciatively at her.

"Allie what do you think?" Bea asked shyly as she glanced to her girlfriend, who was sat speechless, she watched in amusement as wordlessly Allie walked towards her, grabbed her hand and dragged her towards their cell where she closed the door. For a split second, Bea's heart jumped into her mouth as she worried that she had upset Allie and was about to face her wrath, but when Allie pulled her roughly into her and began assaulting her lips as she spun her around and pressed her against the door, her fears dissipated as the desire washed over her.

Allies lips left her own and instead found her neck, whilst her hands began to fumble with the waistline of her trousers, before she knew what was happening, she felt Allies finger slide against her, causing her to almost jump at the rush of excitement, surprised herself to feel how wet she was at Allies response.

"Does this mean you like it?" Bea breathed out, trying hard to find her voice and not lose herself in the feelings Allie was creating within her.

"Fuck yes, do you even realise how fucking hot you look?" Allie gasped as she pulled back and looked into Bea's eyes, seeing a look of uncertainty in there, she leant forward a placed a chaste kiss against her lips as she slid a finger easily inside of her lover, who groaned in response and moved her body closer to her lover.

"You are incredible Bea... totally fucking incredible, and I will never get over just how beautiful you are, inside and out. I cant imagine being with anyone but you" Allie admitted honestly.

"Are you trying to propose to me or something" Bea laughed as she wrapped her arms around Allie's neck and allowed the younger woman to support some of her weight so that she could get in a more comfortable and easier positon as she felt the younger woman pull out of her slightly before thrusting two fingers hungrily inside of her.

"One day Bea, one day I will make you my wife and we will spend the rest of our lives doing this" Allie stated confidently as she curled her fingers towards Bea's spot with a smirk.

"Well when you decide to do that" Bea breathed as she tried to regain some composure. "Just know that the answer will definitely be yes" Bea swooned as she learnt forward to claim the blondes lips with her own.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N - Apologies for the lack of updates last week, I found myself extremely busy for the whole week and didn't get a chance to update this, however I did get a chance to post a one shot called 'Release' (Unashamedly plugging myself) which was a quick little thing I worked on whilst I couldn't concentrate on the intricate web that is being woven with 'The Aftermath'. I have the next 5 or 6 chapters to go, and about 10 chapters after that to proof read too. i think i'm just past chapter 30! so still plenty more to come.

Welcome back to the world of The Aftermath, I do hope you enjoy your stay! All feedback is welcome and very much appreciated!

AL xxx

"Boomer, its unusual for you to fill one of my open slots" Bridget grinned as Will Jackson escorted the inmate into the room and left with a smile.

"Jesus, don't phrase it like that to Frankie, she will fucking kill me" Boomer grinned cheekily, loving that she could have a bit of banter with Frankie's love interest. Bridget just smirked in response and motioned to a chair, which Boomer happily accepted.

"What can I do for you today?" Bridget asked as she perched on the chair, worried for Frankie's oldest friend, she had only counselled Boomer during group session, the tall women not being interested in solo sessions.

"Well... see the thing is, I have something I need to tell you, and I know your going to have to report it, and that's kind of why I came to you first. I know there is going to be a shit storm from this... but I cant hide it anymore, so its time to fess up" Boomer announced, watching Bridget for any trace of recognition to see if Frankie had told her partner of her news yet.

"Ok, this sounds big, what's going on Boomer?" Bridget asked.

"I'm pregnant... about seven weeks" Boomer announced, unsure of how to ease into confession and so deciding to just put it out there, she watched as Bridget frowned and eased back into her chair.

"And your positive?"

"Oh yeah... I got a test smuggled in and everything... shit I shouldn't have told you that" Boomer frowned.

"Yes you probably shouldn't... perhaps next time your asked that question, it would be wiser to feign ignorance and just say that you suspect its that long because of your period" Bridget advised warily.

"Sure thing Bridget" Boomer nodded and waited for the shrink to continue.

"I guess my next question is... who is the father?" Bridget asked, her mind reeling from the hundreds of questions swimming through her head.

"Oh that's an easy one, Maxi is" Boomer stated.

"Maxi... wait how... shit... do I want to know?" Bridget asked, feeling a slight headache forming.

"Oh not that way, she doesn't have the tackle anymore... she got some sperm frozen before her op... and a while ago we decided we would have a kid, and so she got someone to bring it in, and I stuck it up there and now I'm pregnant" Boomer grinned proudly.

"Ok Booms, you know that there is going to be some repercussions from this right, I mean to begin with your telling me that Maxi brought in illegal contraband, and you were a party to it, you know the governor is going to flip about this right?" Bridget warned.

"Yeah... but you know what, its worth it, this little bub that's growing in here, its worth anything the gov can throw at us, Maxi agrees" Boomer confided, comforting Bridget that they had at least discussed this afterwards.

"So are you and Maxi... together?" Bridget finally managed to ask, willing away the mental images trying to assault her brain.

"God no, its not like that, I mean we love each other, but as like best friends... but this is something we wanted to do... and were being smart about it, I mean I got Frankie in and she wrote up this contract for us and everything" Boomer confessed, then wondered if she had just dropped her friend in the shit, looking at the frown on Bridget's face she had.

"So I have a question, a few weeks ago, Frankie mentioned something to me about being a consent guardian for a friends baby..." Bridget left the question hanging.

"Oh yeah, that's for little rug rat. See Maxi and I agreed that if anything was to happen to both of us, we would want someone who would be able to look after him or her on the outside, and I reckon Frankie would make an amazing mother... after her child hood she would do anything for a kid to protect them, and I mean she has a great job now and soon she will be a proper lawyer, and I mean there's you too and we would want our kid to grow up in a loving home with loving 'parents' and so we asked Frankie... I mean we couldn't ask you too without it looking really suspicions on the paperwork" Boomer babbled.

"And anyways, when you and Frankie have your boy and girl, little rug rat will have cousins to play with, and Frankie said there would probably only be a year or two age difference, so It would be kind of perfect... if something happened I mean" Boomer grinned.

"Wait... boy and girl?" Bridged asked with amusement.

"Yeah, you know she wants the boy first so he can look after and protect his little sister, and your going to try first and carry the first one, then she will carry the second one a few years later, and once I'm out of here we will catch up all the time and take the kiddos to the park and out camping and stuff and they will grow up like they are blood cousins" Boomer stated matter of factly.

"And Frankie told you this, did she?" Bridget asked with a smirk.

"Shit... I thought you and Frankie had talked about this... she said you talked about it!" Boomer stated, jumping to her feet and pacing in frustration at herself.

"Boomer, sit down... we have spoken about kids... briefly... but I didn't know about this whole family plan she has, she never really told me how many she wanted, just that she was thinking about it and wanted to look into it once her parole was out of the way" Bridget confessed as she patted Boomers hand affectionately, showing the other woman that she wasn't in trouble.

"So our kids are going to be cousins hey?" Bridget asked with a slight smirk after a few minutes silence, she couldn't believe that Frankie had put so much thought into their future and their family.

"Yep" Boomer said proudly with a nod.

"In that case, I had better make sure your well looked after then hadn't I. I'm going to organise a proper pregnancy test, then once that's confirmed I will bring you back here and call the governor down and we can break the news to her together, hopefully if I am here, I will be able to talk some sense into her before she throw's you in the slot for the rest of your sentence" Bridget mused, as she rose from her seat to guide Boomer towards the medical wing.

"Thanks Aunty Gidge, we really appreciate it" Boomer grinned sheepishly.

"Let me get this right... you and Conway smuggled sperm illegally into this prison and used it to impregnate yourself" Vera screeched as she rubbed her temples and paced around Bridget's office."And you knew about this?" She added accusingly.

"I just found out today, I took her for a pregnancy test and once I had confirmation, I brought her straight back here and called you" Bridget promised, happy to at least see Vera nod her acceptance of Bridget's part to play.

"What the hell did you think you were playing at Boomer?" Vera asked as she stomped in front of the larger inmate intimidatingly.

"Trying to get pregnant Miss Bennett" Boomer responded, Bridget had coached her on the best way to proceed, and so she was trying not to grin and goad the governor, instead trying her hardest to look contrite and apologetic.

"and where are you going to raise this child hey, with you and Conway both locked up" Vera began her pacing again.

"In here with us, with good behaviour both of us could be out within 5 years" Boomer pleaded her case

"Good behaviour, you think smuggling sperm inside a prison classes as good behaviour, I ought to lock you both in solitary and throw away the damn key" Vera fumed as she glared at Boomer who went back to looking at her hands which were fidgeting nervously on her lap.

"and say for example both you and Conway end up in the slot... what's going to happen to the baby Boomer, did you think about that?" Vera shouted before gaining her composure, this was going to cause a shit storm with her bosses.

"The baby would be handed over to her legal guardian until either Maxi or myself were able to look after him or her again" Boomer stated, trying to display that she wasn't completely stupid.

"Legal guardian?" Vera quizzed.

"Yeah Franky is the bubs legal guardian, just in case anything happens to Maxi or me" Boomer stated, not realising how deep she was putting her foot in her mouth. Vera whipped around to glare at Bridget.

"Before you start, I only found out today... apparently Franky found out a few weeks ago when Boomer asked her to draw up a contract" Bridget held her hands out defensively.

"Oh fantastic... so what your telling me is, I have a pregnant inmate, the father is another female inmate at the same prison, and the babies legal guardian is the lover of the prison psychologist... are you fucking kidding me?" Vera wheeled.

"Careful Vera" Bridget warned. "and I prefer the term partner, not lover. Frankie isn't just a random fuck, she Is the love of my life and the most important person in my life, and I wont have you, or anyone for that matter, diminish her or our relationship" Bridget glared, for the first time losing her temper. Vera stared at her with her mouth open in shock.

"Shit, your right, sorry Bridget, I didn't mean it like that... I'm just, my head is spinning on this" Vera apologised much to Boomers amusement. Bridget just nodded her acceptance of Vera's apology, they could discuss it further in private if needed.

Vera spun around to Boomer. "Wipe that smirk off of your face Jenkins!" Vera demanded, and had to bite back a laugh when Boomers face dropped and she quickly looked apologetic again, it was almost like chiding an infant.

"I'm going to have to go to the board about this, but I want your assurance that if I do rally for them not to tear you and Conway apart from each other, that there will be no more idiocy. if you ever want to get out of this place, then you have to stop this crap and start using your head" Vera softened, she watched as Boomer nodded. Motioning for her to leave, she waited until it was just the two women alone before she dropped on the chair and frowned.

"Sorry Bridget, I really didn't mean to offend you, my mouth just ran away with itself, you know that I have no issues with you and Frankie, I actually quite like the new Frankie" Vera admitted after a few moments.

"Forget about it, we all say things in the heat of the moment... what are we going to do about Boomer?" Bridget leant against her desk as she watched her friend stressing.

"Fuck knows... but I do know that I'm going to get my arse handed to me for this" Vera groaned.

"They wouldn't really split them up would they?... you know they are both really happy and excited about this, you should have heard Booms when she told me earlier... she actually called me Aunty Gidge... can you believe that?" Bridget breathed out.

"I doubt so very much, I just wanted to scare her a little bit and give her something to think about for a while, they are going to be bloody pissed though, and if the media catch wind of this... Jesus its going to be a damn circus" Vera sat forward rubbing her head before laughing softly. "Aunty Gidge hey... this is so fucked up"

Bridget could only nod to hide the proud smile teasing her lips.

After three and a half long hours of driving, Frankie finally pulled into a long dirt road that led up to a homestead, she jumped out of the car, opened the gate and swung the car inside the property before returning to secure the gate. She took a few seconds to look around her, whistling at how impressive Fletch's property was, she could see nothing but fields and hill for miles around. She jumped in her car and drove slowly towards the house, it was a little after two in the afternoon and the heat was still powerful. She turned off her ignition and looked around, seeing the entrance to the property, she got out of the car, took a deep breath and made for the entrance.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she heard several barks and the sound of feet rushing through dirt, with a glance in the direction the barks had come from, she saw six dogs, all Australian cattle dogs, rushing towards her, and they didn't look too happy at their uninvited guest. Without thinking, Franky sped for the car, jumping in and slamming the door just in time to see an angry jaw hit the glass and leave a long trail of saliva.

She eased back in the chair and tried to get her breathing under control, she clenched her eyes shut and forced a few deep breaths.

"Who are you, and what the hell are you doing on my property?" Franky started as she heard the female voice, she opened her eyes to find a woman sitting on a horse with a rifle pointed directly at her. With her heart in her mouth she raised both hands slowly, not wanted to spook the woman and have the gun go off accidently.

"I'm here looking for an old friend, my names Franky. I'm a paralegal in Melbourne" Franky offered, deciding honesty was the best policy.

"You must have to wrong property, and I think its time you were leaving" the woman spat angrily.

"You're Claire right?" Frankie asked, watching the shock register on the woman's face before her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Who the hell are you, and what do you want?" Claire yelled losing her patience.

"Look, I just want to talk to Fletch, you know who that is. I'm a friend from his past and I'm here to ask for his help so that he doesn't need to keep hiding to be safe" Frankie admitted.

"I don't know any Fletch" Claire stated adamantly, Franky could see it was pointless arguing.

"Ok, ok. Listen I'm going to do as you say and leave ok. I'm going to pull into the next town and stay in a hotel, I think its called the Warrenga Arms, please tell your boyfriend that Frankie Doyle is here and she just wants to talk about helping each other, its about the freak, and ill be waiting there for him, if he doesn't show up by tomorrow night I will take it that he isn't interested and leave, and no one will ever know I was here or why, ok, tell him he doesn't need to worry about me telling anyone where he is, please!" Frankie watched as the woman listened to her, nodded her head so slightly that if Frankie had blinked she would have missed it, then she turned her car on and turned it around before driving off towards town.

Claire watched as the strange brunette pulled away, and with a sigh she pulled a satellite phone from her pocket and dialled the number she had etched on her memory.

"Alex, its me... can you come by the house, we need to talk"


	17. Chapter 17

"How is Frankie going with the case" Vera asked as she curled up comfortably on Bridget's couch, holding a glass of chilled white and paying her undivided attention to Bridget.

"Things seem to be moving along. I haven't heard from her about how things are going in SA, but if anyone can convince him to help, Frankie can" Bridget mused from the opposite side as she took a sip from her own glass.

"Well if she has any issues, let me know and I will give it a try" Vera smiled warmly.

"How are things with the whole Fletch thing?" Bridget smirked cheekily as Vera rolled her eyes.

"I'm moving on, I have been seeing somebody actually, which helps quite a bit... " Vera flushed as she trailed off.

"Tell me more, you cant leave me hanging like that" Bridget giggled at Vera's shyness.

"You cant tell anyone though, we are just keeping it to ourselves, ok?"

"Of course... now dish the dirt" Bridget grinned.

"It's Jake" Vera blushed with a grin.

"Stewart... from work?" Bridget asked shocked, a grin forming as Vera nodded, she had a huge suspicion that something had been going on between the pair, but this was the first time Vera had admitted to it.

"How long? How did this happen? When did this happen?" Bridget blurted.

"A few months now. It started not that long after he moved to Wentworth... he... well he kissed me in an elevator, and it just went from there... I think its getting pretty serious, he doesn't want to be a prison officer for the rest of his life, he is actually saving to open up his own mini brewery" Vera confessed.

"I'm really happy for you Vera, we should set up a double date sometime... I want to get to know the man that has you blushing so much" Bridget announced, laughing when Vera blushed again.

"We should, I will speak to him and see what he thinks... How are things with you and Frankie?" Vera asked, hoping to change the conversation from her own love life.

"Great, she has been snowed under working and working on the case, she took her bar exam last week so we are just waiting for the results to come through, but yeah... she is adjusting to life on the outside really well, and she is really getting her shit together and is looking to the future and making plans... I would happily say she is a reformed person" Bridget smirked as she threw a semi professional assessment out.

"Being outside suits her" Vera mused. "You know, when you asked me to revoke my report on her verbal abuse, and you tried to convince me that you were getting through to her... I really thought you were crazy, that she was beyond help... but seeing her on the outside, the effort she is putting into Bea's case, the way she handles herself now... well, you were right and I was wrong" Vera threw her hands up in surrender jokingly.

"Thankyou for doing that Vera... I know it went against everything you believed in... but she wouldn't be on the outside having this chance at life if you hadn't revoked it" Bridget admitted honestly.

"Well she wouldn't be on the outside, flourishing so much if it hadn't have been for you Bridge, you know that your really good for her, she really is a changed woman... she owes you more than anyone else" Vera grinned when she noticed the taller woman flush slightly.

"You know it was honestly never like that... I mean, I knew I could feel something for her, she just... got under my skin with the way she behaved, and the constant flirting and innuendoes, do you know what I mean?" Bridget asked nervously.

"Oh yes... she certainly has a way with words. It always amazed me how she could be so... confrontational and aggressive and angry, yet when it suited her she was just all charm" Vera agreed.

"See... I have only been on the receiving end of her aggression a few times... I mean there was that time in the library when she was being overly dramatic, but that was all about getting herself slotted before she took a beating from Tina and her crew... other than that it's really only been her frustration at our relationship... I mean not that we had a relationship... but she could feel what I felt, and she couldn't get it through that thick skull of her's that while she was locked up, nothing could happen between us..." Bridget confessed as she took another gulp of her wine, it was nice being able to speak so freely to Vera like this, once you got that woman out of Wentworth she really was really laid back and a good friend.

"I'm guessing she tried to change that as hard as she could though" Vera grinned, hoping that Bridget knew that she was ok to continue with the conversation.

"God did she try... she almost wore me down a few times too... I just kept thinking to myself, that if I gave in to her, it would only ever be a few stolen kisses here and there, and eventually we would get caught, and I would lose my job and would never see her, and see would get added time to her sentence and lose her parole... and we would just never have this opportunity to really see where things could go" Bridget confessed, hoping that Vera wouldn't mind her admission of nearly breaking the rules.

"I understand... you know I really do admire your professionalism there, it would have been so much easier to just give in to your feelings... but you stuck to your guns and did what was morally and legally right, not many would be able to do that... in fact many haven't been able to do that" Vera added thoughtfully.

"I suppose it helps that it was never just an attraction for me... I mean don't get me wrong, there is definitely an attraction there... it was always just, something more for me. I mean I remember having to tell her that I had cancelled our sessions and arranged for another counsellor for her, and she just flew off the handle and thought it had something to do with... well something we discussed in a session... and she was just so defensive and down on herself that she couldn't see the reasons I was doing it, she was so scared that she had confessed this thing to me and that I had judged her for it and it changed the way I looked at her, and I honestly think it just broke her" Bridget paused for a drink of her wine, hoping that Vera wouldn't ask her to elaborate on Frankie's confession.

"So any way's eventually I just couldn't take seeing that hurt and self loathing in her eyes so I decided that if I explained it to her, then maybe she would understand why I had to pull back professionally and that although it was because of her, it wasn't because I was judging her, so I confessed to her that the reason I had cancelled our sessions was because of transference... anyway she was in a bad mood and she thought I was kicking her to the curb because of how she felt... so I ended up having to confess to her that it was because of how I felt... I mean I just said that I couldn't handle her case professionally because of how I felt personally... and the penny dropped with her and she was just so confused, despite her having this big bravado act that she suspected I wanted her, and there was something between us, and even though she pushed and pushed and pushed for me to admit it, when I finally did, I think she thought she had lost her mind... and she just looked so lost when she asked me if I loved her..." Bridget trailed off as she replayed the memory in her mind.

"And what did you say?" Vera prompted, hanging on to every word Bridget spoke.

"I told her no... I mean I still worked for the prison, I couldn't exactly admit to being in love with a prisoner could I" Bridget admitted.

"I bet that didn't go down well" Vera smiled, she could only imagine how the Frankie of old would react to that.

"She actually just looked heartbroken and lost... she actually asked me if I just wanted to fuck her, like she was just some play thing to me, or that it was just a physical thing, I don't think she every really understood how much I was putting on the line just to be stood having that conversation with her, trying to tell her that I was falling in love with her, without being able to tell her or say the words, it was almost painful for me to watch, I mean you should have seen the look in her eyes, like the world had fallen out from beneath her because I didn't love her, but she was prepared to just be some random fuck to me, just so she could have a few moments with me to remember... it was so heartbreaking watching her so willing to diminish herself and her feelings like that just to be able to get close to me"

"So then what happened" Vera asked nervously, she had never really gotten an insight into how her two friends had gotten together, and now she was being allowed into the secret, she was desperate to know more.

"I couldn't even formulate words... I mean I'm a psychologist, I'm actually trained to talk despite what I'm feeling, but when I just stood there, looking at this vulnerable Frankie who was just so lost, but just so desperate to be loved... I couldn't speak, so I just shook my head and told her that I couldn't do that and left... I came home, had a bottle and a half of wine and fell asleep crying like some love sick puppy" Bridget grinned at herself.

"But obviously you two cleared it up... I mean you wouldn't be where you are today if you hadn't" Vera prodded.

"Yeah, it wasn't easy... and it was hard not having scheduled sessions to see her every week, but we saw each other in passing, and had a few conversations as equals instead of as psychologist and patient... and then the whole 'sacking' incident happened. And I just waited for her, did everything I could to help her get out by giving her a glowing reference at her appeal, and here we are!" Bridget grinned cheekily, knowing she had skipped a few parts out.

"I am so sorry about that" Vera looked extremely contrite.

"It's in the past, don't worry about it, if you hadn't have done it, Ferguson would have. And you actually did me a favour, it was getting harder and harder to be around her and push down what I was feeling, so by removing me from the equation, you actually did me a favour before I actually did overstep the boundaries and risked Frankie and myself" Bridget waved her off.

"So that day, in the library... there really was nothing going on? I completely read it wrong?" Vera asked surprised, she was sure that they had been sharing a secret moment together.

"No... if you hadn't have come when you did, I cant promise there wouldn't have been though" Bridget grinned and laughed nervously, deciding that she had trusted Vera enough so far, she may as well plunge deeper. "Frankie asked me if I missed her, and although I didn't answer her, I made it pretty obvious that I did by the way I was looking at her... then she put her hand on my cheek and it was the first time she had every touched me like that, really touched me in an intimate way, and I was just so lost at how her hand felt and the butterflies in my stomach, and I was so lost in her eyes, and she leaned in to kiss me... I remember my heart pounding so damn hard, but my head was screaming at me to get my senses together and I pulled away and told her that I couldn't do it, I think I actually said not here, not yet... I mean that was pretty obvious" Bridget laughed at herself.

"Anyway then you came in with a bee in your bonnet and that was that... we were actually speaking about Jodie Spiteri, we were in the book shelves so that no one could see or overhear us and word got back to Fergusson" Bridget informed her.

"I cant believe you didn't kiss her... you so should have kissed her" Vera grinned. "I mean from a governors perspective... you shouldn't have kissed her... but from a Vera perspective, you so should have kissed her" Vera giggled.

"I'm sure Frankie would agree with you" Bridget laughed.

"So how did you meet up on the outside? Did Frankie look you up?" Vera asked as she poured Bridget and herself another glass of wine.

"No, not at all... in one of our sessions, right at the start, Frankie told me that when she got out of here, she wanted to be picked up by a hot woman, in a hot car, and driven off into the sunset... and I just remember thinking at the time how I would love to be that person... and my Porsche certainly fits the 'hot car' category, and then I brushed it away from my mind. Then the closer we got, the more I thought that when I finally got her out of there, I wanted to be her 'hot woman in a hot car' so on her release date, I surprised her by being at the prison waiting for her" Bridget finished.

"I bet she was surprised" Vera giggled.

"Oh yeah, her jaw actually hit the floor at one point... and then she just walked up to me and pulled me into this breathtaking kiss, and we have been together ever since. I mean I cant blame her, I did make her wait till she was on the outside to finally kiss me, she didn't waste a single second after walking out of those gates" Bridget laughed.

"Wow, its quite the love story" Vera grinned.

"It is, and it is far from over yet, that was just the first chapter in a very long book hopefully" Bridget confided.

"I'm sure it will be, you two seem perfect together, I'm actually jealous that I haven't been lucky enough to experience anything like that before" Vera admitted self consciously.

"It wasn't all bunnies and kittens Vera, trust me... Frankie can be frustrating as hell, and spending all day listening to her flirting with me and trying to seduce me and coming home to a dark, cold and lonely house wasn't the best thing in the world" Bridget admitted.

"Jesus... I bet you spent a fortune on batteries" Vera laughed, her laughter increasing at the shock on Bridget's face.

"No comment" Bridget finally laughed after her shock had worn off. "Any way's back to Jake... tell me more, I want to know all the dirt this time" Bridget winked, knowing that the wine had finally started loosening Vera up.

"So we are in trouble, but not too much trouble?" Maxi asked Boomer as she sat on the foot of her bed, looking up to her nervous friend.

"Nah... The governor is pissed as hell... but she made a comment about Frankie, and Miss Westfall almost ripped her head off in front of me, and suddenly the Gov was all chilled out about it, I think we will get a slap on the wrist, and maybe another few months added to our sentences, but that's it" Boomer finished.

"Well that's good news, we expected a lot worse than that... how are you feeling anyway, any morning sickness yet?" Maxi asked as she calmly rubbed Boomers leg.

"Nah, I don't think I'm going to get it Maxi, I think this baby is going to be as good as gold... you know everyone keeps asking me if we are together now, its doing my tits in" Boomer grumbled.

"People just don't understand Boom's, they are trying to get their head around it. As long as we know the situation and are happy with it, that's all that matters right? And all our friends are happy for us and support us, don't let it get to you ok?" Maxi soothed.

"Your right Maxi, you're a good friend you know" Boomer smiled.

"You are too Booms, and I cant wait to meet this little one... they are going to be very loved and very spoilt" Maxi grinned.

"Knock Knock" Bea grinned as she entered the cell to find two of her best friends hanging out on the bed.

"How's it going Booms?" Bea asked after making sure she wasn't interrupting anything.

"everything is good in the hood" Boomer grinned cheekily.

"You know you have the entire prison gossiping, they all think Maxi has a dick again" Bea laughed.

"Oh Jesus... they see me in the shower almost everyday, do they not think they would have noticed if I still had a dick?" Maxi rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"I would watch your back Maxi... there is a few sex starved women out there who are sniffing around as if they can smell dick on you" Bea chortled at Maxine's horrified face.

"Well make sure they stay the hell away from me, no thank you very much!" Maxi laughed.

"Just keep an eye on Liz hey, she's been in here a long time, she must be the most sex starved of the lot" Boomer cackled.

"What was that Boomer?" Liz asked as she entered the cell. "I heard my name" Liz smiled.

"Booms was just warning Maxi to not come near you whilst all these dick rumours are flying around, she reckons you might jump Maxi otherwise" Bea laughed as Boomer flushed apologetically.

"Oh trust me Maxi, if you still had a dick I would have jumped you by now" Liz laughed and winked at Maxi to show she was only joking who burst out in laughter.

"What's going on in here?" Doreen asked as she entered the cell with Allie having heard the laughter from the communal area and decided to investigate.

"Oh we are just discussing how all the women want to jump Maxi for her big dick" Bea grinned as she softly punched Maxi, checking that she was ok with the topic of laughter.

"Well... not every woman... Hey Bea... some of the women in here are vagetarians" Maxi winked in return causing Bea to blush furiously, causing another round of laughter.

"Hey Liz... maybe you should take a leaf out of Bea's book and give it a try... eh Liz" Boomer grinned.

"Not fucking likely... no offence love" Liz winked at Bea.

"Hang on... how come suddenly I'm the brunt of the jokes?" Bea asked with mock annoyance.

"Oh Babe, because you make it so damn easy... you know Frankie calls you Red because of how easy it is to make you blush and not because of your hair right?" Allie smirked before shrieking as Bea dived for her and began tickling her ribs.

"Ok... I give, I give" Allie screamed between laughter as her body sunk defensively to the floor, trying to curl up into a ball so that Bea couldn't reach her most ticklish spots.

"Bea... stop... I give in!" Allie screeched as Bea fell on top of her and fought to get her hands in to Allies ribs. The other woman watching in fits of laughter at the two women's antics.

"Someone help me... HELP ME" Allie screamed loudly as Bea's hands finally managed to reach her rib cage and her tickling assault intensified.

"Admit defeat..." Bea warned.

"No way, your crazy RED" Allie grinned when Bea finally stopped moving her fingers, she threw a mock glare at her girlfriend before poking her tongue out playfully, she saw the flicker in Bea's eyes that she had gone too far before she felt Bea's movements, shrieking even louder as Bea restarted her tickling.

"Admit it, and it all stops" Bea warned as her girlfriend squirmed on the floor, begging her friends to help her.

"What the hell is going on in here" Will Jackson bellowed as he stormed into the cell, surprised to see Liz, Doreen, Boomer and Maxi sat on the bed in hysterics whilst Bea attacked Allie on the floor.

"Sorry Mr Jackson... Allie was just apologising to me for being mean" Bea grinned as Allie crawled away from her at her first opportunity and climbed onto the bed pushing Maxine in front of her, much to Maxine's amusement.

"Look's like your feeling better Smith, as you were" Mr Jackson winked before returning to his patrol of the blocks.

"Maxine isn't going to save you Alliecat" Bea warned teasingly.

"You cant get me while in behind Maxi... and Maxi is sick so you cant hurt her!" Allie laughed as she hugged Maxi's back and wrapped herself around the tall women, determined to not allow Bea an opportunity to prise her away and attack her again.

"Actually... I am officially in remission" Maxine grinned proudly, she gasped in shock as all five women pounced on her and smothered her in hugs, each woman squealing in excitement as they passed on their congratulations.

"I reckon this deserves a celebration... hey girls?" Bea announced at her family.

"Right ladies, good night, keep the noise down" Mr Jackson grinned after last call, he couldn't deny that the women of H1 had a special place in his heart. Each of them was a different person to who they were when they entered the prison, each one had grown and adapted to life on the inside.

"Sweet dreams Mr Jackson" Boomer grinned causing laughter amongst the other women. Will Jackson shook his head in amusement before throwing a wink at Boomer and walking away. The women erupted into laughter, cheering Boomer on.

"Hey Boom's, I think your in there" Liz nudged her playfully.

"I wish, ooooh the things I would do to that man" Boomer grinned.

"Oh yuck" Allie laughed as she watched Mr Jacksons retreating back. "He does have a very nice arse for a man though" she added thoughtfully, before receiving a slap on her arm, just hard enough to jolt her from her musings.

"What?" Allie asked innocently.

"I think Red is feeling a little green with jealousy" Maxi giggled, everyone but Bea laughing.

Allie turned to her girlfriend with a soft pout on her lips which turned into a grin when Bea threw her a mock glare.

"Come on Queenie, you know you're the only one for me... it doesn't hurt to look though, I mean with an arse like that, it is practically rude to not show it appreciation" Allie grinned seeing the look of annoyance flash in Bea's eyes before seeing the look change, oh shit she knew that look. With a squeal, Allie took off and put the couch between her and her girlfriend, determined to not be on the receiving end of her punishment.

"Ha... what are you gonna do from all the way over there Bea?" Allie grinned proudly as she placed her hands on her hips confidently. She stood staring at Bea, waiting for any sign of movement to alert her to start running again, but Bea was just stood still looking at her like something was wrong.

"Babe... what's wrong?" Allie took a step forward in concern.

"I just... shit my head hurts" Bea exclaimed as she threw hands towards her head to cup her forehead.

"Bea, are you ok?" Allie asked rushing forward, the rest of the girls seeing the change in atmosphere and panicking.

Allie approached the couch and began to make her way around it to get to her partner, all thoughts of joviality lost from her mind, she jumped in fright as Bea launched into the air and cleared the couch in one swift movement. Allie screamed in surprise and tried to jump back, but Bea was far quicker and trapped the taller women in her arms. Allie struggled desperately to break free, but with shock discovered that Bea had been down playing just how much physio she had been doing, the woman was like a bouncer.

"Now Alliecat, what was it you were just saying... I think it was something like... oh that right... Bea has a better arse than Will Jackson, and I will never look at another person's arse ever again in my whole life" Bea grinned as Allie struggled against her, trying to break free. She could of course break free if she put her mind to it, but using actual self defence against her girlfriend was not something she wanted to attempt, so instead she tried desperately to loosen Bea's embrace so she could escape.

"Say it" Bea whispered mockingly in Allie's ear.

"Never" Allie cried.

"I'm not letting you go until you say it" Bea laughed.

"Alright, alright fine" Allie grimaced. "Bea has a better arse than Will Jackson... happy?" Allie grinned as she felt Bea's embrace loosen ever so slightly.

"And?" Bea grinned

"Jesus... alright! And I will never look at another person's arse ever again" Allie grumbled, a smile playing on her lips as she felt Bea's hands drop down to her waist. She counted to three in her head, then leaped forward, using the couch to leap over before turning around to a stunned Bea.

"He still has a nice arse for a bloke though" Allie grinned, before running with a scream for Bea's room and shutting the door quickly as she saw Bea take off for her.

"Allie, you cant stay in there forever... come out and accept your punishment" Bea called lovingly through the door.

"Nah, I'm good thanks, I think I will just chill in here... you know, do my nails, have a nap" Allie called back much to everyone's amusement.

"That's fine, I will just wait you out, you will have to come out here eventually" Bea grinned as she walked backwards away from the door, she saw Allie peep through the small window around the blind and threw her a little wave and a knowing smile before Allie disappeared.

"Right, lets get this party started" Bea grinned as she turned the music up and laughed as Boomer began dancing.

An hour had passed since Allie had escaped into their cell and blocked the door so Bea couldn't get back in, the women had spent the hour laughing and dancing as they celebrated Maxine's remission. Finally Bea couldn't take being away from Allie any longer, excusing herself she made her way to their cell quietly and tried to open the door but it wouldn't budge.

"Go away Bea, I'm not going to fall for it" Allie called from the other side of the door with a laugh, she had been working her way through Bea's stack of magazines and indulging herself in gossip from the outside world.

"Ah come on baby, I miss you, come and join us" Bea begged.

"Nah I'm good here thanks, got plenty to read, lots of snacks, I even have a cosy red blanket to snuggle up in" Allie laughed through the door, knowing that Bea would be getting frustrated now.

"What do I have to do to get you to come out? Beg? Please baby, please come out and join us" Bea cooed quietly through the door so only Allie would be able to hear her.

"Ok fine... if you want me to come out, you have to do one thing" Allie said seriously.

"Fine... what is it?" Bea asked, surprised at how easy it had been.

"You have to say that I have a nicer arse than Will Jackson" Allie grinned.

"You do have a nicer arse than Will Jackson" Bea exclaimed seriously.

"I cant hear you Bea?" Allie grinned wider.

"You have a nicer arse than Will Jackson, now come out here" Bea said just loud enough for the other women to hear her and laugh at her. She rolled her eyes at the jokes they were beginning to send at her.

"Bea... I cant hear you, I think you need to say it a bit louder" Allie laughed.

Bea put her forehead against the cold metal of the door and frowned, she loved Allie dearly, but she was going to be the death of her.

Boomer nudged the other women and silently nodded towards the gates securing their unit, the women all turned around and grinned as Will Jackson walked past.

"Fine, Allie Novak has a nicer arse than Will Jackson" Bea yelled as loud as she could. "Now will you get that gorgeous arse out here please" Bea said quieter, her smile forming when she heard the cell door begin to open.

"What's wrong with my arse Bea?" Mr Jackson called from the other side of the bars causing Bea to almost jump out of her skin. Everyone apart from Bea burst out in laughter at how red and flustered she had gotten, not knowing where to look or what to say.

"Bea was just telling us how nice your arse was Mr Jackson, and when she saw how upset and jealous I got, she thought she had better correct herself" Allie grinned cheekily, Bea spun around glaring at her in disbelief that she would just say that. Boomer sat at the table howling and choking with laughter as Liz and Maxine looked on worryingly at her, wondering if she was going to cause herself to literally piss herself from laughing.

"Well I can understand Allie getting jealous Smith... perhaps you should keep your eyes to yourself in future" Mr Jackson grinned cheekily before winking and turning to continue his patrol with a over exaggerated swing to his hips.

"Oh god... I'm going to have a heart attack" Boomer called from her seat as she hyperventilated, she quickly quietened down when Bea threw her a glare of wich though.

"Ahh come on Bea, if your gonna be pissed with someone, be pissed with Allie, she said it" Boomer shrugged, throwing Allie an apologetic smile for throwing her under the bus.

Bea shook her head, brushed past Allie and stormed into the bedroom. Upon hearing slams and bangs, Allie threw their friends a nervous smile before following her girlfriend into their cell and closing the door so they could have their argument in privacy.

She jumped when she spun around to find Bea stood looking at her, her hands firmly placed on her hips and a mischievous smirk painted across her face.

"Your in for it now Alliecat" Bea purred as Allie jumped and tried to flee the room, but Bea was too quick as she grabbed her girlfriend around the waist and picked her up easily. Allie shrieked in defence, calling for help and hoping the others would come in and stop Bea before she could start tickling her.

She felt Bea plop her down on the bed, she spun around trying to get her feet underneath her so she could jump back up, but before she had a chance she felt Bea straddling her and grabbing her arms.

"Let me goooo" Allie called out in between laughter.

"Never" Bea promised as she raised Allies hands above her head, as quick as the laughter started, it stopped as both women stared into each others eyes, losing themselves in the moment, it took less than three seconds from Allie's hands hitting the pillow with Bea's arms firmly but gently around her wrists till their lips clashed in the middle in a kiss that drowned out the rest of the world.


	18. Chapter 18

"Frankie bloody Doyle... how the hell did you find me?" Fletch asked as he entered the country pub he had spent the last few months becoming a regular of.

"I have my ways Alex" Frankie grinned cheekily as she watched the large man nod at the bar tender before pulling up a seat at Frankie's table.

"So... why are you here? And who else knows where I am?" Fletch asked grumpily.

"As far as I am aware, the only people who know where you are is me and Bridget Westfall, and of course anybody that you have told" Frankie answered seriously, she didn't want her ex jailor to think she was here to mess him around.

"Why the hell does they psych know where I am?" Fletch asked in confusion.

"I'm guessing that she wouldn't be happy if her girlfriend just disappeared to a different state for a few days with no explanation" Frankie grinned cheekily as she watched him coming to terms with what she had admitted.

"You and Westfall... no way!" He stated eventually after several moments of silence, he nodded his thanks to the bar tender who had brought over his pint and waited for him to disappear to fetch Frankie a fresh drink.

"Yep, we have been together since I got out of the slammer a few months back" Frankie admitted seriously, knowing that this close to the end of her probation, she didn't feel the need to be quite so secretive anymore.

"Ok, so why are you here... why now?" Fletch asked in confusion, if Frankie had been out for a few months and was here to settle some old score, surely she would have done it months ago if she had been out that long.

"Because I think we can help each other... Bea Smith asked me to look into her case to get her sentence reduced" Frankie began to explain, only pausing as the bar tender arrived with her own pint. She nodded her thanks to him and waited until he was out of hearing distance.

"So what does that have to do with me? And why is she asking you to look at her case?" He was beginning to lose his temper at the frustration of trying to work out what the hell was going on and why he was being dragged back into it.

"Ok look, I'm going to be 100% straight up with you and I'm just going to have to trust that if you decide that you want nothing to do with this, that you will keep your mouth shut, in the same way that I will keep my mouth shut about ever having seen you or knowing where you are, deal?" Frankie asked and waited for Fletch to nod his agreement.

"So I now work as a paralegal and am waiting for my bar results, I'm looking into Bea's case, and by the time I'm ready to take it to trial, I will hopefully be a legally practising lawyer. I have quite a few people helping me out in various ways, but we are keeping it as quiet as we can so that nobody has anyway to tamper with the evidence, I even have a big arse safe I just installed in my house which I keep all files in so that there is no chance that anybody could tamper with it, that's how serious I am about this" Frankie paused as she took a swig from her glass, she could tell that she was hooking Fletch in from the interested spark in his brown eyes and she wanted to be clear from the start about how protective she was being over the information she had already amounted.

"Again... how does this concern me?" He asked cautiously as her stared intently at her, trying to read any form of deception from her body language.

"Right, the further I dig into this, the bigger the shit storm is getting... and right now the shit storm is pretty damn huge. Remember the name Nils Jesper? Well I can now place him at the prison, not only on the day he attacked Bea, but on several other days which show him taking payment from the freak, which date stamps link in to the attack on you. Now as you probably know, Nils was murdered before he was able to testify against Ferguson, and despite the fact that I have yet to get to the bottom of who her lackey was on that occasion, I have been able to stumble across evidence in which he not only admits that he attacked you and tried kill you, but that the orders came directly from Fergusson and she paid him to do it... now as part of Bea's case, I have to go after Fergusson, I'm taking that bitch down, and I'm not trying to get her put in prison, I'm going the whole way, I want her locked up in a mental institution where she cant be a danger to anyone but herself... the reason I'm here is because I need your help doing that" Frankie admitted, she let the conversation settle as she enjoyed her cold beer and watched as Fletch processed everything she had said.

"And she will definitely be locked away for good?" Fletch asked almost hopefully.

"I cant promise anything, but I'm going after her and will be doing everything I can to make sure the sick bitch ends up getting what she deserves, the more people I have to testify against her, the better chance I have of getting her locked up and the key thrown away... that's why I need your help, she did two hits on you... she clearly had something against you, and I want to find out what it was and get your side of the story out there. Now I'm prepared to do everything in the dark, If you would be prepared to help. But it would mean that you would need to come to the city for the trial, I would need you to be there in person" Frankie said honestly.

"I just don't know if I can do that Frankie, I have a new life here... I have a woman that I'm going to ask to marry me, I'm happy, and I have put all of that shit behind me" Fletch frowned.

"Look, I'm not going to force you to do anything, this has to be your decision... but if you really want that future you were just talking about... if you want to have a few kiddies running around that big ass farm of yours one day, surely you don't want to be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life waiting for Fergusson to make her next move?"

"No... your right, it's just a huge ask. Right now I'm hidden, I'm guessing the only reason you found me is because of bloody Vera" Fletch glared.

"No comment, my sources are private" Frankie grinned cheekily.

"I don't know Frankie... I really don't know" Fletch put his head in his hands and sighed.

"Look like I said... I cant force you, I want your help, but its up to you if you want to give it. I'm going to give you my number, and I'm heading back to Melbourne tomorrow now that I have found you. Take your time to decide, and if you want in, call me or email me. I swear I will do everything I can to protect your enmity and no one will even know you're a part of this until you walk into that courtroom, If that's what you want. But I swear to you I'm serious with this, the more I dig into the freak, the more sordid details I discover about her" Frankie slid her private business card over to Fletch containing her throw away mobile number, her personal mobile number and her private email address.

"All I can do is promise to think about it, that's all I can give you right now" Fletch said as he drained the remainder of his beer and placed the empty glass back onto the table.

"That's all I'm asking, and thanks for meeting me, I know it cant have been easy finding out I was here sniffing around, thanks for trusting me enough to give me the opportunity to talk to you" Frankie smiled as the huge man rose from his chair, he threw her a warm smile as he towered over her"

"The outside has changed you Doyle, it suits you... you look better with a smile than a shiv" He grinned, nodding his head and leaving a smirking Frankie behind.

Frankie drained her own drink and left the bar for her hotel room, it wasn't much to write home about, but it had a large double bed and a tv... oh and a shower and toilet. She had spent hours sat in the bar working on her laptop and waiting to see if Fletch would appear, and now being in the privacy of her room without any background noise felt almost heavenly.

She jumped in the shower to remove the long day from her skin, frowning in the mirror when she realised she didn't have any of Bridget's make up remover, toner or moisturiser to use, she did the best she could with some tissue paper then threw on a Foo Fighters t-shirt and a pair of knickers and snuggled into the cold bed.

'Hey Beautiful, just gotten into bed and its very cold and lonely... not sure how I'm going to sleep without your snoring tonight' Frankie typed to Bridget, before laying her phone down on the bed and staring up at the ceiling in an attempt to let her mind unwind.

Picking her phone up after it vibrated, she opened a picture message from her girlfriend, hoping it would be another bath shot, but was disappointed to find it a picture of Bridget and Vera snuggled under a blanket on the couch with a glass of wine each and a huge pizza between them half eaten. She laughed softly to herself as she thought about how bizarre her life was now and began typing back. Here she was in South Australia having just visited one ex prison guard who was practically in witness protection, and her girlfriend, the prison psychologist was sending her a picture of her hanging out with Frankie's ex governor on their couch.

'it's like that is it? not even gone 24 hours and I have been replaced...' Frankie grinned as she hit send, then went back to inspecting the photo, her thumb rubbing softly over Bridget's smiling face.

'Ha! You're the one with a crush on her!' Bridget replied, a little winking emoticon at the end of it causing a laugh to escape Frankie's lips, Bridget only ever used emoticons when she was in a playful mood.

'I only have a crush on you Miss Westfall' Frankie sent with a smirk, she was happy to admit that her favourite hobby was flirting, especially when that flirting was with the beautiful psychologist.

'Miss Westfall hey... want me to ask Vera to steal you a set of teal trackiedacks? I'm sure they will help spice things up in the bedroom' Frankie laughed out loud as she read it and imagined her girlfriend and friend sat plotting comical messages to send her as they sat getting pissed.

'You two are going to regret all that wine when you have to get up for work tomorrow' Frankie sent and waited impatiently as the three little dots flashed across her screen to let her know that Bridget was already typing a reply.

'absolutely, but sometime there is pleasure in pain... someone really wise once told me that' Frankie grinned, Bridget was on fire tonight, and was obviously having too much fun with the Governor.

'someone wise? I will remind you of that next time your telling me off. Gonna get some shut eye soon, I have a 3 hour drive and a flight to catch tomorrow'

'Your coming home tomorrow?' Bridget asked with several smiling emoticons.

'only If it doesn't get in the way of your illustrious affair with my ex governor' Frankie grinned as she knew there would be a jibe coming back.

'OMG you wont believe what Vera just told me to write... oh shit I'm going to die from laughter and shock' Bridget typed, and a second message quickly followed it. 'Vera - it doesn't have to be an affair if you want to join in' Frankie almost choked.

'Jesus take the wine off her quick! Tell her I don't like to share!' Frankie grinned as she received another photo of Vera wrapping her arms around Bridget's shoulders and laughing as Bridget looked like she was screaming and laughing.

'you two are crazy... please behave... sweet dreams babe' Frankie typed out as she felt her eyes starting to get heavier. She locked her screen, put her phone on charge and closed her eyes, a smile playing on her lips as she ran over the conversation in her mind, loving seeing the playful side of Bridget and happy that she wasn't alone tonight. Her eyes popped open as her phone vibrated noisily on the bedside table, picking it up she saw Bridget's name and a picture of the two of them that she had saved as her contact image. The second she answered the phone she could tell Bridget was already drunk by the laughter and calamity coming through the phone.

"Oh your really going to be suffering in the morning" Frankie grinned.

"Probably, but knowing your coming home will help me make it through the day" Bridget cooed as she walked into a wall and cursed causing Vera to burst out in laughter whilst Bridget giggled at herself.

"Having fun baby?" Frankie laughed.

"Yeah, I miss you though. I just wanted to say goodnight before you fell asleep, I couldn't last another minute without hearing your voice" Bridget admitted as she closed her bedroom door to get a few minutes of privacy.

"Well I'm glad you called because I miss you like crazy. I cant wait to see you tomorrow" Frankie grinned, she couldn't believe how lucky she had gotten, she was laid in a motel in South Australia and here was her stunning girlfriend calling to say goodnight and tell her how missed she was.

"What present did you buy me?" Bridget asked suddenly with the excitement of a young child.

"Present? I'm in the middle of nowhere Gidge... what do you want me to do, bring you back a cow or a sheep?" Frankie laughed.

"No presents? But when you go away for work you have to bring back presents... it's the law" Bridget pouted.

"I'm bringing back myself, isn't that the best present?" Frankie flirted.

"Best present ever... especially if your naked and in our bed waiting for me when I get home" Bridget whispered loudly.

"Babe, your whispering but I'm pretty sure the whole street can hear you" Frankie laughed at her girlfriends antics.

"I don't care, I'm pretty sure they know by now what we get up to Frankie" Bridget grinned sexily.

"Probably... someone is unable to be quiet after all" Frankie laughed.

"Hey, that's not my fault, it's your fault for being such an incredible lover" Bridget practically shouted.

"Ok baby, I'm going to bed, I'm exhausted, but I will speak to you in the morning and see how your feeling, have a good night yeah?" Frankie gave up, knowing she would never get a serious conversation with such a drunken Bridget.

"Night baby, I love you so so much" Bridget said and promptly hung the phone up before Frankie could reply.

"Oh holy shit" Bridget groaned as her mobile alarm began ringing loudly, she threw her hand out to grab the phone, quickly pressing the screen to turn it off before snuggling her head back into the cushion to dull the throbbing in her head.

"Why so loud" Vera mumbled from the opposite side of the couch where she had fallen asleep, her legs tangled up with Bridget's.

"Why did you make me drink so much" Bridget grumbled as she tried to wake herself up, but pounding in her head forced her to close her eyes again.

"You started it" Vera stated as she sat up and threw her head in her hands in hope to help to the room from spinning.

"Oh Jesus, I feel terrible... do you reckon my boss would let me take the day off" Bridget asked hopefully.

"If I have to work then so do you!" Vera stated with a slight smirk, she felt terrible and knew that she was probably still over the limit. Both women grimaced when Bridget's phone began making loud noises again, Bridget grabbed it quickly and when seeing it was Frankie, she answered it quickly with a grumble as Vera shouted at her to make the sound stop.

"Good morning sunshine, I just wanted to make sure you were awake and hadn't gone back to sleep, you feeling good this morning?" Frankie asked cheerily from her drive to the airport knowing fine well that her cheeriness would annoy Bridget.

"I hate you" Bridget frowned as she forced herself off the couch and made her way to put the kettle on.

"I love you too sweetheart, but are you actually out of bed?" Frankie laughed softly.

"I never even made it to bed, we both fell asleep on the couch at about 3am" Bridget moaned tiredly.

"So your telling me that the first night without me, you literally slept with another woman" Frankie grinned.

"Jealous are you... that I spent the night with your crush" Bridget grimaced as she clattered around the kitchen, finding two cups and making coffee for them both whilst she threw some bread in the toaster.

"oh totally jealous... you know what I'm not jealous of?... your hangover right now, you sound terrible!" Frankie giggled as she listened to the groans emanating through the phone.

"Your meant to be sympathetic not mean" Bridget pouted as she handed Vera her coffee and set to buttering the toast.

"Poor baby, I will look after you tonight... promise. Cant wait to see you Gidge" Frankie cooed finally taking pity on her partner as her listened to her trying to eat the toast with a dry mouth.

"Take a cab to work today yeah, I don't think either of you are in a fit state to drive, I will pick you both up after work and Vera can pick up her car, ok?" Frankie suggested.

"and that's why I love you... Thanks babe, I don't think I'm even in a fit state to be awake, but my boss is horrible and wont let me take the day off" Bridget frowned at Vera playfully, who motioned that she was going to go jump in Bridget's shower and get more presentable whilst she finished talking to Frankie. Bridget followed her through as she listened to Frankie and grabbed a clean towel for her before she collapsed on the bed and rolled over into Frankie's pillow, inhaling her scent sadly.

"I wish you were here already" Bridget announced.

"I will be back in a few hours honey, before you know it" Frankie grinned. "Hey don't fall back asleep Gidge, you need to wake up" Frankie laughed as she listened to Bridget's breathing even out.

"Gidge!"

"Yeah?" Bridget groaned after receiving a shout from the phone.

"Stay awake, if you go back to sleep it will just make it harder to get up and started" Frankie grinned, her poor girlfriend was going to struggle today.

"I don't feel great" Bridget moaned.

"I know baby, but once you've had a shower, and gotten your fancy pants on, and gotten another couple of coffee's in you and some Panadol, you will start feeling better ok?" Frankie soothed lovingly.

"Kay" Bridget spat petulantly.

"Now if I hang up, do you promise to not fall back asleep, or do you want me to keep talking until you get in the shower?"Frankie asked softly.

"No I'm getting back up, I need to find Vera something to wear, she cant go into work in last nights clothes she slept in" Bridget sighed as she forced herself to get up.

"Ok babe, go steady yeah, I will message you when I land, and I will see you after work ok? I love you"

"I love you too Frankie, and I miss you, and your forbidden to ever go out of state without me ever again, I want to go everywhere with you" Bridget smiled as she glanced lovingly at a picture of the two of them that had been taken the day they did a road trip to a couple of wineries which sat proudly in a frame on Frankie's bedside table.

"Promise, I hated waking up without you... for a second I actually thought I was back inside and all of this had been a dream" Frankie admitted.

"Oh babe, that must have been awful for you..." Bridget asked worriedly.

"It wasn't the best, but then I heard the cockerel cooing, and I just laid there thinking... what the fuck, how did someone smuggle a cockerel into prison... and then I realised where I was... I have to say, it would have been the best dream ever if it had just been a dream" Frankie confessed.

"Well it's not a dream, this is your life now sweetheart, and pretty soon you will be doing the job you want, and your parole will be over, and we can look at going away somewhere, just the two of us..." Bridget trailed of dreamily, she smiled as Vera excited the bathroom dressed in a towel, and motioned to the clothes she had laid on the bed for her before creeping into the bathroom so that her movements didn't cause her any nausea.

"Well I'm going for a shower, so I had better say goodbye" Bridget sounded sad, but she couldn't control the smile that poured onto her face when Frankie called her a tease.

"Love you baby, drive safely and let me know when you land" Bridget cooed.

"Love you too gorgeous, feel better soon" Frankie hung up with a grin, she really couldn't help but feel like the luckiest person alive.

Finally arriving at the airport, Frankie checked the hire car back in, checked herself in and made her way through security, rolling her eyes again as she received a full inspection as if she was a terrorist. She grabbed a chicken and salad wrap and a coffee from a café, then sat down at a vacant table, pulling her laptop out to check her emails.

She flicked through a few emails, deleting ones that were rubbish and storing others in their correct folders when she came across an email from an unknown sender with a blank title. She opened it up curiously to find a picture of a man she didn't know stood at an ATM, the picture was taken from in front, so had obviously come from the ATM's security footage. After inspecting the photo for a few moments, she scrolled down to see if the email held any information that would tell her what exactly she was looking at.

'I cant help but wonder why there has been several transfers from Ferguson's lawyers account into this guys account... if your as interested as I am, meet me at the Winchester Hotel in St Kilda on Thursday at 8.30pm. come alone. I will introduce myself to you'

Frankie frowned as she read over the message a few times before scrolling up to inspect the picture once more, shaking her head in frustration and deciding that there was nothing that she could do about any of this until Thursday night, she closed and saved the email and proceeded on down her list.


	19. Chapter 19

It was early Tuesday afternoon when Frankie's flight landed in Melbourne airport, she made her way to the carpark and deposited her bags in the boot before jumping into the drivers seat and sending a quick message to Bridget to let her know that she had arrived home safely, after waiting for a few minutes and not receiving a reply, she concluded that the psychologist must be busy at work and headed for home for a quick shower and to do some more work.

Sitting at her desk, she loaded up her laptop and began working her way through her 'to do' list, easily marking things off as she lost herself in her work. Things with Bea's case were progressing well and she was pleased with all of the results she had so far, but knew there was still a long way to go before she was in any position to file her case and await a court hearing.

She was currently working through the section of her case relating to Jacs Holt, trying desperately to find a way to minimise what Bea had done. She had received the incident reports from Vera just that morning and after reading through them, she knew that getting Bea's murder charge reduced was going to be a momentous task, the reports were pretty damning, detailing how Bea had approached several members of staff reporting that Jacs Holt was threatening her daughters life, then Debbie had passed away and Bea had told practically anyone that would listen that Jacs was responsible for it. On paper, there was no doubt that Bea had gone to find Jacs with intent for pay back.

Frankie leaned back from her computer with a sigh of frustration and decided it was time to make another coffee, returning back to her desk twenty minutes later with clearer eyes and a fresher mind. She grabbed a piece of paper and began formulating a time line of everything she knew. Once that was complete, she changed pens, from blue to red, and began writing notes of things that she felt she needed to discover about the case, questions that she needed answers to and ideas of where to find the answers.

With a frustrated sigh she sat back in her chair again and began to read over her notes, looking for some inspiration on where to start. She glanced at the clock, now seeing that it was 1.30, it would take her about twenty minutes to drive to the prison, she decided that she wanted to head there and go through some interviews with some inmates, see if she could get some further facts, and if she interviewed them correctly, she should be able to use the evidence to formulate a character assassination on the former top dog. Frankie had been unlucky enough to have plenty of her own run in's with the twisted old bitch, but being the legal representative, she knew that she would not be able to submit her own testimony, and so she would need to rely on the other women to do it for her.

She grabbed another sheet of paper and began writing down names of the women she wanted to interview, and their link to Jacs Holt. She scribbled down the names of her friends first, knowing that they would best be able to paint a picture of the woman who had ruled with a iron clad fist, her friends would have no issues detailing as much dirt as possible. She then wrote down the names of the women who had been in Jacs crew, she knew that they would be able to shed more light on the behind the scenes of Jacs, but they were more likely to be unresponsive and would not want to talk to the former inmate that had been responsible for removing their crew from the top of the prison hierarchy. All she could do was try. She shut down her laptop and stored it in the safe, grabbing her Dictaphone and notepad, she decided that there was no time like the present.

She pulled up in the prison carpark with a sigh, she actually hated being near the place, it always brought back so many reminders of the person that she used to be, but with a shake of her head, she grabbed her belongings and made way for the visitors entrance, informing the unknown guard on duty that she was here to interview several women in relation to a case she was working on and has permission from the governor herself to be there. The guard found her name on the list of professionals, and realising that she was an ex inmate, decided to check with the governor about the unscheduled visit.

"Miss Doyle, the governor has requested that I get someone to escort you to her office before you begin visiting any inmates" The young man announced, nodding to Officer Miles who had just joined them.

"Frankie, good to see you again, you're here more now than you were when you were locked up" Officer Miles grinned and Frankie couldn't help but laugh as she began to follow the woman into the corridors she knew so well. The chatted easily as they walked, Smiles filling her in on all the latest gossip from her old stomping ground.

"Frankie Doyle to see you Governor" Officer Miles announced after knocking on the wooden door and being granted entry. She thanked the officer before walking confidently into the room and relaxing into the chair in front of Vera's desk, she smirked when she saw the governors attire, recognising one of Bridget's work tops.

"Looking good Vera, you don't look anywhere near as wrecked as I expected" Frankie winked.

"Yes, well luckily my hang overs don't last very long, I cant say the same for Bridget though, when I saw her half an hour ago she still looked like she was about to drop dead any moment" Vera grinned cheekily. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your company today? How did you go on your little holiday?" Vera asked seriously.

"Holiday was good, I got everything I needed to do done, I'm now just waiting for a decision" Frankie answered cryptically. "I just wanted to interview a few of the women with regards to Jacs Holt. I wanted to speak to you too about setting up some interviews with the officers and yourself too. I want to paint a picture for the jury of the kind of person Jacs was, the fear that she induced with her manipulation and bullying" Frankie offered.

"Very well, do you know which of the women you want to talk to? I can set you up in one of the interview rooms and have one of the officers bring them through to you" Vera smiled warmly as Frankie pulled a piece of paper out with a list of several names, at the bottom of it was a list of the officers she would want to speak with also.

"I see your prepared, I will get onto this and get Liz to come first and get the officer to work his way down the list, I will need to post a guard outside of the room at all times, its for your protection, especially with some of the names further down the list, I'm sure some of these women have some old scores they would like to settle, and frankly, Bridge would kill me if I let anything happen to you" Vera smiled.

"That's fine, no problems here... I will just press the panic button if there is any major problems" Frankie offered thankful for all the help Vera was providing her. "You know, your really making this case easier for me, I cant tell you how difficult it would be to have to do all of this without the help you have given me"

"Don't mention it, we both know how sadistic Ferguson is, and I know Bea needs all the help she can get to stand a chance of ever being released, your doing a good job... as your ex governor I want to tell you how proud I am of you" Vera offered.

"Thanks, it really means a lot... I should go and get started with these interviews if I stand any chance of getting through them all today" Frankie said, Vera nodded and called for Officer Miles to return, informing her to wait outside of the interview room and bring down the list of inmates that Frankie had listed, she tore off the list of officers from the bottom and promised to speak to each of them and see if she could get them to agree to being interviewed. With a final wave, Frankie made her way to the interview room and began setting up as Officer Miles went to fetch Liz. Before Liz entered, Frankie heard the two women walking towards the room, chatting easily. She set the Dictaphone off before Liz entered the room and spoke into it, announcing the date, time and the content on the tape.

"Tuesday, 16th September, 2.11pm. Frankie Doyle interviewing inmates at Wentworth Correctional Facility with regards to Jacs Holt" She set the Dictaphone in the middle of the table and smiled when Liz entered the room, Officer Miles nodded, informing Frankie that she would be stood just outside if needed, then closed the door behind her.

"Frankie love, how are you doing, you look well" Liz beamed as she took a seat opposite Frankie and looked questioningly at the Dictaphone then back up to Frankie.

"Liz, I'm very well thankyou. I'm here today in a professional capacity to interview you regarding the deceased inmate Jacqueline Holt, if you consent to me continuing with this interview and to recording it using the Dictaphone, please state your full name for reference" Frankie smiled warmly.

"Sure love, its Elizabeth June Birdsworth, how can I help" Liz grinned back, pleased to see Frankie looking so healthy and acting very professional.

"Liz, can you tell me what you know about Jacs Holt" Frankie started.

"Jacs Holt... well she was a right piece of work, she was top dog for several years, ruling the prison with fear and threats. She hurt several of the women, had no issues with drugs being brought in and passed around. She was responsible for the murder of Bea Smith's daughter too, she did it so that she could mess with Bea's head. She threatened her for a long time about it, Bea was terrified that she wasn't on the outside to protect young Debbie... Jacs got her son Braydon Holt to hot shot Debbie, and Debbie passed away from an overdose, at first Jacs denied that she had anything to do with it, but she admitted it to Bea eventually. She was a cruel, sick and twisted woman" Liz sighed, her heart heavy thinking about poor Debbie.

"And can you tell me of any occasions where you personally experienced this rule of fear that you mentioned in your previous answer" Frankie asked, her slight nod and smile reassuring Liz that she was doing well.

"Oh yes, I can tell you lots of times that I had run in's with her. First there was the time that she pushed the hand of one of the women under a steam press, she got two of her henchmen to hold the woman down and force her hand out as she pulled the steam press down and burnt the woman's hand, the woman had to go to the infirmary and had 1st degree burns for several months" Liz watched as Frankie unconsciously ran her hand over where she had been burnt, the scarring was very minimal now, but if you looked closely enough, the evidence was still there, and would be there for the rest of her life.

"And why do you think that she did this?" Frankie asked, trying not to let the emotion be obvious in her voice.

"Because she felt threatened, she didn't want anyone getting in the way of the power that she held over the women. She wanted to make a point that anyone who seemed to go against her, she would punish severely. That's why she picked on Bea, she could see that Bea was a threat to her reign and wanted to wipe her out before Bea realised it for herself" Liz frowned, she hadn't thought about any of this for a long time.

"And what did she do exactly to fend Bea Smith off?" Frankie asked, already knowing the answer.

"She organised to have Bea beat up by her crew, it was a pretty bad beating too. She had Bea's daughter killed after she told her son to get into the young girls mind and make her think he loved her. She isolated Bea and threatened her safety and her daughters safety regularly, made Bea's life hell, made her live in fear, not just for herself but for her daughter too" Liz answered, following Frankie's prompts.

"Very well, and how did Bea respond to these threats?"

"At first she asked for help from some of the other women, when she couldn't get any help she went to the Governors office and asked for the Governor to help, when the Governor couldn't, she began thinking that it was all in her head, and that's when Debbie was murdered. She took it really hard, no mother should have to bury their daughter, she wasn't even allowed to go and say goodbye to Debbie, she wasn't even allowed to go to the funeral and actually bury her, it was cruel. Jacs had orchestrated the whole thing to be some sadistic mind game, not only had she taken away the most important thing to Bea, but she watched on with satisfaction that Bea was unable to go and say goodbye, she even offered Bea her condolences at the wake we held for Debbie, messing with her mind still as she was grieving, playing a game that Bea had no chance of winning at the time her entire world had collapsed" Liz offered honestly.

"And how did this Bea handle it?"

"She really didn't, the poor woman was devastated, as you can imagine, the docs tried to put her on sedatives, but that didn't help, eventually she was taken off the sedatives and began to heal, it was hard for her, you could see it in her eyes just how broken she was, she would never be the same after it, she still isn't the same, Debbie's death killed something inside of her too... I'm not too sure of how it happened or the details of exactly what happened, but Bea was charged with the murder of Jacs Holt after she was found in Jacs cell covered in blood, Jacs had been stabbed in the neck and had died, but as far as I am aware there was never any witnesses or footage that could show what actually happened in that cell, and Bea never talks about it, I think the whole experience just messed her up"

"Thankyou for that description Liz, is there anything else you would like to offer on the subject before I have officer Miles return you to your unit?" Frankie asked, smiling confidently to show Liz that she had done a good job.

"Not really, just that... look no one blames Bea for what she did, I don't know exactly what went down so I cant really comment on what may or may not have happened, but Jacs Holt was a sick woman, she was manipulative and cruel. It was no secret that her husband had just been released from prison and was patrolling around with his hot piece on the side for everyone to see. After that happened, and some of the women started commenting about it in front of her, Jacs seemed to lose the plot a little, there are rumours going around that her husband, Vinnie, that he wanted a divorce from her and the day that she died, he had just told her that he was dumping her for a younger model. Jacs always kept a mask on her face, she was very good at hiding and acting, but you could see it in her eyes that she was starting to come undone. For the first time in her sentence, she wasn't in control of every woman and she was starting to lose her power, she had not long before gotten into a fight with another inmate who caused some serious injuries to her, and not being a young woman, you could see she was struggling to get over the injuries... what I'm saying is, I really wouldn't be surprised if she had planned for Bea to be in her cell and stabbed herself in the neck just to frame Bea and make sure that she was blamed for it" Liz said, her voice lowering almost conspiritually.

"And why would she kill herself? She still had her son to live for, she didn't have that many years left on her sentence, she would be able to get out and start again eventually, that is if her husband had asked for a divorce" Frankie asked, trying to stay as objective as possible.

"See that's it... Jacs was never the mastermind of the operation... her husband was, so if he left her, then so would all his contacts. Jacs ruled because everyone knew that she could get them on the inside, and she had plenty of contacts on the outside to do her dirty work for her... if she lost her network of criminals that were running around in the outside world, she was finished. To a woman like Jacs Holt, power is everything, and without power there was no point. She had lost everything in her eyes, her husband, her power, her image, her strength, her contacts... she had nothing left to live for but her son, Jacs Holt was a bloody lunatic, she probably put herself before her son, so no, she didn't have anything left to really live for. And you said about her being released, she still had about three years left of her sentence... if she had remained inside for three years with no power, the women would have chewed her up and spat her out, almost every women in here, and some of the officers, had a cross to bear with her, she had manipulated and bullied every single person, regardless of which side of the bars they were on, and you mark my words, she knew that people would be coming after her for revenge... that's why I think she did it to herself, or at the very least provoked and pushed Bea into doing it, I wasn't there so I cant say which way it was, but I have never had a doubt in my mind that Jacs was responsible for what happened that day and Bea was just the pawn in her game" Liz confided.

"Thankyou for answering all my questions Liz, I think that's everything I have to ask you for now. Do you have anything else to add?" Frankie smiled to cover the pain in her gut, this had seemed like a good idea an hour ago, but now she was here, going through with it, it was all just too close to the bone for her.

"No love, I think that's everything, but if you have any further questions, you just come and find me ok?" Liz smiled as she stood up, she patted Frankie on the shoulder, sensing her unease and made her way to the door for Officer Miles to take her back to the unit.

"Interview with Liz Birdsworth, concluded at 2.36pm Tuesday, 16th September" Frankie grimaced as she scribbled down a few notes and waited for her next woman to be brought to the room, Doreen was next, she left the tape recorder running so that she would have evidence to support that she hadn't coached any of the women into what she wanted them to say, should anyone try to accuse her.

Doreen entered the cell a few minutes later, smiling as she approached the table and sat down opposite Frankie, prepared for the questions coming her way.

The remainder of the interviews went well over the next hour and a half, she had managed to interview Liz, Boomer and Doreen, as well as a few other women who had been somewhat impartial to the clash of the two crews, she was awaiting one of the inmates that had been on Jacs side, when officer Miles entered with Bea Smith, Frankie smiled in confusion.

"Bea Smith, you weren't on my list of people to interview today" Frankie smiled as she nodded at the Dictaphone still recording, letting the older woman know that she needed to watch what she said.

"I caught wind that you were here asking questions about Jacs Holt, and thought I should come and be interviewed, I haven't remembered everything and some things are a little hazy, but a few things have come back and I thought it may be wise for me to come and catch you up on what I know so far" Bea offered as she pulled up the chair opposite Frankie with a smile, showing that she was up to the task.

"Very well, thankyou for taking the time to speak with me, Firstly I have to ask what has been said around the units, you mentioned you have caught wind that I was here asking questions, I need to be certain that you haven't been conspiring with the other inmates and coaching them on what you want them to say" Frankie asked, the concern thick and evident in her voice.

"Not at all Frankie, Liz just told me that you were asking about Jacs Holt and that it was connected to my case, but wouldn't tell me anything about what questions you were asking or why, regardless of how many times I asked her, she's tight lipped on the topic" Bea said honestly.

"Right, well I'm not going to ask you any of the questions which I have asked the other women, What I would like you to do is tell me in your own words and your own time what it is you remember, try to detail as much as you can, and speak only from your own memories, please do not provide me with any conjecture or conspiracy, or repeat any information which you have been provided to aid your recovery, I want to hear just what you actually remember, but before that can you please state your full name for the record to confirm that you consent to this interview and that you are aware that it is being recorded and anything you say may be used against you in a court of law" Frankie sat back and motioned for Bea to start.

"My name is Beatrice Alice Smith and I consent, Well the first thing I really remember about Jacs Holt is when I first arrived in Wentworth, Liz Birdsworth was my peer worker and introduced me to the rules and unspoken rules about the prison. She gave me a rundown of the hierarchy inside the prison, who to be cautious of, who to stay away from, who was ok to be friendly with, and who was the boss... She told me that Jacs Holt was in charge, and if I didn't want to get on the wrong side of her, to do as she asked, and to keep my head down... I didn't fully understand what she meant at the time, but I was terrified of the implication. Jacs was this middle aged woman, probably in her late fifties, and she was immaculately kept, I didn't meet her for the first few days because she was locked up in the slot, something to do with being caught dealing drugs... but when she was released, the whole atmosphere inside the prison changed, suddenly going into the canteen felt like there was no air in there, I just waited every second of being in there for some kind of fight to erupt. That first dinner time after Jacs was released form the slot, was when she noticed me for the first time. She basically blackmailed me to sit at her table with her..." Bea paused to take a deep breath and closed her eyes as she tried to recall the memory.

"How did she blackmail you to sit with her, did she verbally threaten you?" Frankie asked, trying too lead Bea into detailing as much information as she could.

"No nothing like that, she was much smarter than that, it was like a silent warning, like she told me to sit at her table, and pulled out the chair, that was the offer, but her eyes challenged me to deny her order. It was clear that I had no choice, I had to sit there, despite wanting to sit with my friends from my unit, I knew from Liz's warning that to keep my head down and out of trouble I just had to do as I was told, so I made to sit there... before I could sit though, she ordered me to make her a cup of tea, and I did. She was looking at my friends pointedly, challenging them to argue with her over me, but they knew the score, they knew it was too dangerous to argue with her while she was sat amongst her crew, and I don't blame them, it was my fight not theirs..." Bea looked into Frankie's eyes, hoping to convey the message that she held no ill will to the Brunette, when Frankie nodded Bea continued, taking a few deep breaths.

"So I bring her this cup of tea, and without even looking, she tells me that its too cold, so I went to make her another one, this time the cup was too full, so I made another and it was too dark, this went on god knows how many times, her crew found it hilarious as she belittled me, she didn't even look at the cup, it was almost like it was a scripted act that she had used many times before just to belittle me, to control me, to show me that she was in charge and I had to do everything I could. My friends decided enough was enough and made their way over to help me, but it was no use... eventually I had enough and told her to make her own tea and left the canteen"

"What happened next?"

"I'm really not sure, I don't remember anything happening after that incident and I haven't asked, I don't really discuss with the other women my memories returning, my partner, psychologist and legal team are the only ones aware of it" Bea admitted to a shocked Frankie.

"And why is it that you have chosen not to share your ongoing recovery with your friends and fellow inmates" Frankie asked genuinely.

"It just feels like too much pressure, its not that I don't trust them with the information, I know they would be happy for me and supportive, i just... I don't want the added pressure of people asking me constantly what I do and don't remember, I don't want to be put in the position of people trying to alter my memories and force their opinions upon me, so I am currently keeping a journal, as suggested by my psychologist, Bridget Westfall, in which I document times and dates of my memories, what I have remembered, how I feel about it... that kind of thing. And then I discuss these memories with Miss Westfall and she helps me walk through them and piece them all together so they make sense and aren't a jumbled mess, we have been writing a time line, and every session we have, if I have had any further memories, we add them to the time line so that I can follow the progress, it has been a great help" Bea smiled.

"So the only inmate you discuss them with is your partner, Allie Novak?" Frankie prompted her to continue.

"That's right, Allie wasn't in here at the time, so when I discuss it with her and she gives me her opinions or asks questions, I know that she isn't pushing her own agenda on me, or trying to twist the memories to fit a sinister motive, she just listens and soothes me when I break down because of something that hurts, or scares me" Bea confessed almost shyly.

"That's understandable Bea, so what other memories do you have of Jacs Holt" Frankie nodded to Bea, making sure that the new brunette knew that she was proud of how well she was doing.

"The next thing I can remember, which from the time line we worked out was about a week after the first incidence, was Jacs Holt ordering me to her cell, I was petrified, I was certain I was going to get bashed" Bea broke off as she lost herself in the memory and the feelings she had felt at the time.

"And what did Jacs want with you?"

"She wanted me to cut her hair... I was a hairdresser before being locked up on remand, I think so was playing mind games with me, telling me subtly that she knew all about me, how else would she have known I was a hairdresser, I certainly hadn't told her, I was too petrified to talk to her, well I suppose I could have told her but just don't was remember, but I genuinely terrified of the woman, so cant imagine sitting down with her over a cup of tea and having a lovely discussion about the outside world with her... anyway as I was cutting her hair, she starts talking about my daughter Debbie, and drops in these little hints here and there that have me confused as to how she could know such things... as I was leaving she outright tells me that she knows where Debs lives and what school she goes to and makes some comment that it would be a shame if she was hit by a car... I just remember my heart being in my mouth, I was so scared for my little girl, and as I looked into Jacs eyes I could tell the threat was real, that this woman standing before me could make it happen, and would if I didn't comply with her" Bea frowned and wiped away the tears stinging her eyes.

"So what did you do?" Frankie asked sympathetically.

"Well I did the only thing I could do, I kissed arse. I did what she wanted me to do, whatever she asked. I took her in some lotion to her arthritis, sucked up to her and tried to get her on side. It didn't matter what she made me do, as long as I kept my little girl safe... obviously it just wasn't enough because she followed through on her promise and had my little angel killed" Bea whimpered much to Frankie's shock, she hadn't realised just how much of Bea's memories had returned, and she could see the mental anguish in her friends eyes, but now wasn't the time to be friend Frankie, right now she needed to be Lawyer Frankie, and so she pushed down the urge to wrap her friends in her arms and instead leaned across the table and held the older woman's hand, squeezing it tightly in support.

"So how did we get from you doing everything Jacs told you to do, to Jacs Holt lying dead in her cell with you being the only witness as to what happened" Frankie asked sadly.

"I'm not too sure how it escalated, I'm sure there are more memories I'm still waiting to return. But I do remember that day in the cell. I had my suspicions that Jacs was responsible for Debs death, and I had found out that Jacs son, Braydon Holt had been hanging around with Debs, now Debs was a good kid, focussed on her school work, and her friends. She grew up watching her dad kick the shit out of her mum on a weekly basis, and although I tried to hide what was going on, she knew, of course she knew.. I can remember so vividly now the look in her eyes when she would catch me cleaning up the mess from a beating, or patching myself up. There was one time she came home from a sleep over with some friends and I had put thick makeup on to cover the fresh bruises on my face from where Harry had lost the plot because I hadn't asked his permission before telling Debs she could sleep at her friends house, he was furious, told me that I had no right to make those decisions, he was the only one that could decide that and he just lost it... you know he would normally stick to beating me where the bruises couldn't be seen, or where I could cover them up... but this night, he was furious and he just lost complete control, he grabbed me by the back of my neck and slammed my face into the kitchen countertop, knocking me out cold... when I came around the house was dark and I was home alone... anyway Debs got home the next day and saw straight through the makeup to the bruise that covered the left side of my face, and her eyes just filled with tears, she begged me that day, begged me to leave him, said that we could just pack some bags and take off before he got home and we would never have to see him again, god i wished I had listened to her, she would still be alive right now, my little girl would still be with me and living a happy life, instead she's a pile of ashes in the ground and its all my damned fault because i wasn't able to protect her" Bea broke down with huge sobs coursing through her body, without a second thought, Frankie rushed around the table and wrapped her arms around Bea, forgetting about where they were and why they were there.

She rocked the older woman softly in her embrace, her left arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders and her right arm stroking her hair, her cheek pressed tightly against the brunette curls.

"Shhh Bea, come on its ok" Frankie soothed over and over as the once strong woman whimpered in her arms.

"It's my fault she's gone Frankie, its my fault and I never even got to say goodbye to her, I never got to tell her how sorry I am and how much I loved her and now she's gone and I can never bring her back" Bea sobbed into Frankie's arms.

"Hey, Red, pull it together... Debs knew how much you loved her, and she knew that you would do absolutely anything to protect her, you cant blame yourself for this, its fucked up, but it isnt your fault. You need to let go of this blame and guilt your holding over yourself" Frankie soothed as she pulled Bea's face into her hands and looked deeply into her eyes, trying to convey the importance of her message.

"I will never forgive myself Frankie, I should have been there to protect her, instead im the reason that she is dead, I failed her" Bea whimpered as the tears rolled unashamedly down her cheeks.

"Listen to me Bea, It was not your fault, and Debbie wouldn't want you blaming yourself, she would want you to be brave and to only remember the good times, to remember the smiles and the laughter, remember how much you loved her and how much she looked up to you, you need to focus on those things, because that's what Debbie would want, she wouldn't want you feeling like this, she wouldn't want you blaming yourself" Frankie stated, she pulled Bea back into her embrace and began rocking her again as the woman sobbed. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and quickly txt Bridget, telling her she needed her urgently in interview room 1 and that it was an emergency, putting her phone away she sighed sadly as she returned to stroking Bea's hair and listened to the sobs filling the room.

Bridget sat at her desk typing up a report on her recent session with Boomer, after the break though from announcing her pregnancy, Boomer had surprised her by turning up at another open slot, it had taken some effort to get her talking that day, but eventually she opened up and started spilling her guts about how scared she was that she was going to fail as a mother, and how she was stupid to think that she would be able to raise a child.

It had been a long hour, her head still pounding softly as she soothed Boomer and assured her that all prospective mothers had the same fears at some point. She had managed to get Boomer talking about her past, her own childhood, and what she had learnt from it that she would use as experience to be a mother.

It had been a tough session, but a successful one, and for the first time Bridget thought she may actually be able to break through to Boomer in the same way she had with Frankie and help her change her attitudes and aggression so that she was able to reform and break free form the prison cycle and begin building a life for herself and the tiny life she was carrying.

She picked up her phone when it vibrated, noticing two messages from Frankie, the first announcing her arrival home to Melbourne, which made her smile knowing her partner was once again in the same state, but when she read the second message that her partner was here in the prison and needed her help urgently, her stomach rose to her mouth, without even locking her computer, she dashed from her office and ran towards the interview rooms, announcing to Officer Miles that she was needed in the interview room and brushing past the petite blonde officer as she tried to restrain her from entering, as she rushed in the room and slammed the door behind her into the shocked officers face, she met the sight of her partner wrapped around a brunette prisoner sobbing in her arms, she knew from the curls that the prisoner was Bea Smith.

She moved closer to the two women and Frankie noticed her and offered a sad smile before nodding her head to warn her partner that they were being recorded at that exact moment, Bridget nodded her understanding and knelt down on the floor next to the inmate.

"Bea, what is it, what happened?" Bridget asked, shocked at the trembling wreck before her, she had been having sessions with Bea everyday for months now, and she had never her seen her in this state, the inmate normally holding herself together as they worked through Bea's memory loss.

"She asked me to interview her about Jacs Holt, and she was recollecting some memories about Debbie and how Jacs had killed her and she just broke down Miss Westfall" Frankie announced, knowing that everything which was being recorded could go a long way in expressing Bea's anguish to the jurors, and wanting Bridget to handle things professionally for the recorder. Upon hearing Frankie use her official title instead of one of their pet names, she understood Frankie's thought train, she mused that it sounded heartless, but in the long run, it was best for Bea that they handle this the right way, if they could show the people judging Bea that there was a lot more to her than a hardened criminal, it would change the way they looked at all the evidence and could provide Bea with the opportunity to get out of there one day and make a life for herself.

"Bea, can you tell me what is going on right now?" Bridget asked softly, she heard Bea try to whimper a few things, but her words were caught in her sobs and she was starting to hyperventilate.

"Ok Bea, I need you to try not to talk for a few minutes and just focus on your breathing ok? I'm going to walk through it with you, and were just going to breath, nice and easy ok, breath in... and breath out, come on do it with me, in... and out" Bridget coached her, she smiled at Frankie as she noticed her following her instructions as well, she laid a hand on Bea's leg, hoping the touch would bring her some comfort. She continued guiding Bea to breath as she watched the woman start to gain control of herself and calm down.

"How are you feeling now?" Bridget finally asked when Bea's breathing was almost normal and her sobs had reduced to just a few every couple of minutes.

"Like I want to throw up" Bea offered with a sad smile, still wrapped securely in Frankie's arms as the ex inmate rocked their bodies ever so slightly and rubbed her hand in gentle circles over Bea's back.

"Here, lets just pop this bucket here just in case, and if you feel like your going to actually be sick, you just do it in there and we will worry about the mess later ok?" Bridget asked and waited for Bea to acknowledge as she placed the bin on the floor at Bea's feet.

"Do you want to tell me about what happened?" Bridget's hand returned to Bea's leg, rubbing it slightly and soothing her friend.

"I was, I heard that Frankie was here interviewing some of the women about Jacs Holt, and I thought it would be a good idea to come and fill her in on the things I remember now about it... and we were talking about Debbie and I just..." Bea trailed off with a sob.

"It's ok Bea, its good to let these feelings out, its completely natural for you to experience the pain your feeling, Debbie may have passed away a long time ago now, but as your memories return, it's a fresh experience for you, like you are reliving it all over again. It's a good thing for you to cry about it, it shows that your not bottling all that hurt and anger up, that your processing it and dealing with it, your doing really well, ok?" Bridget asked, smiling softly as Bea nodded, still staying safe in Frankie's arms, but turning her head slightly so that she could see Bridget who smiled warmly at her.

"I'm proud of you Bea... you know the Bea a year ago... she would have just swallowed down all this pain, she would have used it as a defence tool, let it fester inside her and chew her up. You're not allowing this pain to consume you, your dealing with it, and Debbie would be incredibly proud of you, you know that right?" Bridget asked, she knew the answer from the torment in Bea's eyes.

"What makes you think Debbie wouldn't be proud Bea?"

"How could she... her mum is a tired old woman who is locked away in prison for the murder of two people, I've had to fight everyday to stay alive, I've done things that I am so ashamed of, how could she be proud of that? How could she look at me with the love and adoration that she used to, I should be thankful that she's not here to see me like this, she would be disgusted with what I have turned into" Bea sobbed as she felt Frankie's embrace tighten and their rocking began to speed up slightly.

"Is that how you see yourself? As something disgusting? Something to not be proud of?" Bridget asked, she had heard Bea express her dislike and disappointment at herself in their sessions, but Bea had never used such strong words with such conviction.

"How could I not look at myself like that, and its true, I deserve to rot in this place because of the things I have done, I have the blood of three people on my hands" Bea cried.

"Three?" Bridget asked.

"Jacs, Braydon... and Debbie, her death was my fault... if I hadn't have gotten locked up, Jacs and Braydon would never have known she existed, she would still be alive right now" Bea sobbed.

"Bea, you are not responsible for Debbie's death ok, you cant control what others do, you cant control what others think, or their motives or agenda's. The only person you can control is you. And as for this whole self sabotaging... Bea you are on the road to recovery, you have been through a lot in the last two years, more than anyone should have to go through in a lifetime, and your working your way through that tunnel and there is light at the other end, I promise you that light is there. What you are going through right now is a breakdown of everything that you are, and together we are going to build you back up into a person you can be proud of, to the person that Debbie will be proud of. But in order to do that, you have to go through these steps now, you have to acknowledge all the mistakes you have made, you have to deal with them and work through them, and you have to forgive yourself so that you can move on and allow yourself to be happy and be the person that you want to be, does that make sense?"

Bea's sobs had almost stopped as she listened to Bridget's words, they made total sense to her, everything she was saying, and she so desperately wanted to be a better person, to be a person she could be proud of, that Debbie could be proud of, and that Allie would be proud of. She needed to do this, not just for herself, but for Debbie and Allie to. She nodded her head as she pulled away from Frankie's embrace slightly, drawing some strength from Bridget's words, she smiled as she felt Frankie softly kiss the top of her head supportively before the ex inmate returned to her side of the table.

"I think we should call it a day for now Bea, its evident that you are going through a traumatic time, and perhaps aren't ready yet to be dealing with this line of questioning, we can come back to it in a few days, or when your ready, ok?" Frankie stated calmly, nodding at the tape recorder to remind Bea that their conversation wasn't private.

"Sure, I'm sorry for making a fool of myself" Bea laughed softly as she rolled her eyes.

"Bea there is no apology necessary, as Miss Westfall said, you have been through a rollercoaster in the past two years and because of your memory loss, it is all hitting you at the same time, it is understandable that you would struggle with it all, but for today you have done enough, thankyou for your time. Perhaps it may be wise if you accompanied Miss Westfall to her office where you could have a impromptu session, I think it may help if you continued to discuss this with your psychologist" Frankie said, hoping that Bridget would understand that she was asking her to take Bea aside for a bit to get herself together before facing the other women. Bridget nodded her understanding and professionally asked Bea to come with her, she threw a loving smile and wink at Frankie as she exited the room, listening as her partner concluded the interview for the benefit of the tape and announced the departure of her friend and partner before calling for Miss Miles to escort her next interviewee to her.

At just after five thirty, Frankie announced the conclusion to the interviews for the day, turned off the Dictaphone and began packing her belongings back into her brief case, with a heavy sigh, she thanked Miss Miles for all her help today and asked to be escorted to Bridget's office, without questioning it, she led the way, it was obvious that the two women were in a relationship, anyone could see the way they looked at each other, and Linda Miles couldn't help but think it was actually quite nice, the psychologist obviously had a good effect on the brunette woman, she was a role model for reformed prisoners, she had been out almost a year now, she had kept her nose clean, gotten a good job, carried on with her studies, and was working to help the other women in the prison, who cared who she went to bed with.

"Long day babe?" Bridget asked as Frankie entered the office looking like she was mentally drained, she smiled to Linda, who waved at her with a nod and left the prison guest in the psychologists care.

"You could say that... Bea had a break down. Kim spent 45 minutes flirting with me until I gave up trying to prise any information from her and kicked her out, seriously she needs to take the hint that I am not at all interested" Frankie grinned and raised her eyebrows cheekily as she saw the flash of jealousy in Bridget's eyes having heard how Frankie had spent almost on hour alone with her ex who was clearly still in love with her and trying to get back in her pants. "Then Tina Mercado comes in, and the second she sees me sat behind the desk... she just flips and tries to attack me, thank fuck Smiles was there to grab a hold of her and frog march the bitch to the slot... then she brings in juice, who spends 20 minutes trying to grill me, asking me questions about you and our sex life, and when I kept deflecting and trying to turn the conversation back to the interview, she starts telling me in great detail all the things she wants to do to you, Smiles had to frog march her out and to the slot too before I kicked her fat arse" Frankie admitted, sheepishly grinning at Bridget who didn't look all too happy about Frankie's admission to loosing her cool.

"Then to top it all of, one of Jacs old crew, Jenny, you know Jenny... the one with the ginger hair, mid forties, been inside for forever and every time she is let out she ends up back inside within the month... well she spent the whole time spouting shit about how she saw exactly what happened and Bea charged Jacs into her cell in a fit of fury and started beating the crap out of her before stabbing her in the neck and watching her as she bled out with a sick smile on her face... I mean I was able to discredit everything she had said, which pissed her off, but its not going to help Bea's case if that part of the interview gets playing in court. I mean Jesus... the lengths people go to just to get a bit of self satisfied payback, its crazy, I am so glad that i get to go home from this hell hole" Frankie sighed.

"That's what you need to focus on baby, you get to go home, your just a visitor now, and all those bitches that gave you a hard time, they don't get to go home, and while your cuddled up to your incredibly hot and loving girlfriend in our comfy big bed after making love all evening, they are laid on their own, in their cramped bed, in their cold cell, staring at the same four walls for the next however long" Bridget smiled as she approached Frankie and rubbed her arm lovingly.

"your right, as usual... you should be a psych or something Gidge, you have a real knack for it" Frankie grinned as Bridget laughed.

"So making love all evening, is that what you have planned?" Frankie asked, her trademark flirtatious smirk firmly in place as the worries of the day washed away.

"That's the main thing you took from my little motivational speech? In future I'm going to just say 'sex' and save myself the effort" Bridget grinned, wrapping her arms around Frankie's neck and kissing her for the first time in 48 hours.

"You can save yourself that word too and just show me if you like" Frankie grinned, leaning in to kiss Bridget teasingly, knowing that her girlfriend would be craving her as much as she was.

"Oh for god sake you two, get a room will you" Vera grinned as she walked into the office unannounced, not expecting to find Frankie perched on Bridget's desk, with Bridget practically straddling her as they were lost in a kiss that was definitely not fit for the work place.

"We had one until we were interrupted" Bridget winked as she pulled away and began grabbing her things to leave.

"Now about this offer you made last night, is it still on the table" Frankie smirked as she watched Vera blush and blanch in horror, the second she realised that Frankie was joking and was not in fact seriously asking her to join them in the bedroom, she threw her the birdie, rolled her eyes and walked away, knowing the other two women would follow her.


	20. Chapter 20

Jane was amused as she sat watching Frankie at her desk on Wednesday morning staring dreamily into the distance, there was only one thing the woman could be thinking of "Earth to Frankie... Hello... Frankie... Frankie...FRANCHESCA"

Hearing her Christian name being yelled at her, Frankie startled and looked to the owner of the voice, seeing the smirk on Janes lips, she knew she had been caught out.

"Are you planning on doing any work today? or are you just going to sit at your desk like a love sick puppy?" Jane laughed, feigning shock when Frankie's middle finger was pointed at her.

Their jokes were interrupted by the office mail man as he entered their large cubicle and handed out the mail to the four women who occupied the space before leaving.

Frankie flicked through the mail, checking the reverses of the envelopes for 'sent from' stamps, organising her mail into piles of which to open first, and which were suspected junk mail. She stopped when she reached the last envelope addressed to Miss Francesca Emily Doyle, all of her mail was addressed to Miss Doyle, or if they needed to use a name, they always used Frankie. She flipped the envelope over in her hands, her stomach jumping into her mouth when she saw the stamp which belonged to the bar exam board.

"What have you got Franks... looks like you've just been told your dog's dead" Jane grinned as she watched the dreamy smirk disappear from her friends face as it paled.

"I think its my exam results" Frankie murmured, she felt sick with nerves as to the contents of the envelope.

"Well come on, open it up and see what it says" Maria called from beside Jane, the four women had been working together for months now and they all had a good report going.

"I cant... I'm too nervous" Frankie admitted and frowned when the other three women laughed softly, each knowing the feeling from when they received their own results.

"Come on Frankie... its just a letter... you're a big hard ex crim, you cant be scared of a little piece of paper" Jane grinned, knowing if she teased Frankie a little she would toughen up, and it worked. She watched as Frankie began to slowly open the envelope, grabbing her phone she quickly set it to record and positioned it to record Frankie without her noticing.

"Well, what does it say?" Maria asked.

"Holy shit" Frankie grimaced.

"Shit did you not pass?" Maria asked, jumping up from her desk to comfort Frankie.

"No I actually passed... I did it, I passed" Frankie grinned as Maria wrapped her arms around her, Jane and Julie cheering their approval.

"I never doubted that you would... what was your score?" Jane asked as she watched Julie hug the brunette happily as Maria picked up the letter to scan it for the score.

"Holy fucking shit... she got a 99.9% pass score" Maria grinned as she pointed to the score on the paper to show Frankie and Julie before running to show Jane that she wasn't joking.

"Jesus Christ... do you know how many people actually get more than 96% and that is seen as the highest of ranking scores... holy shit Frankie" Jane grinned as she moved the phone to record the score on the page. She looked up to Frankie who was sat stunned in her chair, not quite believing this moment.

"Frankie, call Bridge and give her the good news" Jane said as she stopped the video and let it save, wanting Frankie to tell her partner so that she could send her the video, knowing Bridget would love to see the moment Frankie found out she had passed.

"come on ring her..." Julie grinned as she went back to her desk and started locking her computer, motioning for Jane and Maria to do the same so they could take Frankie out for a celebration lunch, complete with champagne. "The sooner you ring her, the sooner we can leave to celebrate, so hurry up" Jane jokingly scolded her.

Frankie picked up her mobile with trembling hands and called Bridget, surprised when she answered after just one ring.

"Baby, I'm in the middle of a session , can I give you a call back later?" Bridget asked, the apology evident in her voice.

"Sure thing... wait are you with Red?... you only answer your phone mid session if your with Red" Frankie asked and smiled when Bridget laughed and confessed she was right.

"Ok well, tell her to piss off and wait while I give you my news" Frankie grinned cheekily.

"Ok but make it quick, Bea is looking pissed off that your interrupting our gossip time" Bridget joked.

"How would you like to go out with a hot lawyer for dinner tonight" Frankie asked cheekily.

"Oh do you have a work thing on?" Bridget asked, the air of confusion in her voice.

"Nope... just the two of us" Frankie grinned, knowing that Bridget had no idea what she was talking about, she listened to the silence on the other end of the phone as Bridget's cogs turned in her head.

"Wait... did you get your results back? Did you pass?" Bridget asked excitedly.

"99.9%" Frankie beamed.

"Oh my god, that's fantastic, wait what's the pass mark?" Bridget asked.

"90%… 96% is considered a high pass" Frankie informed her proudly.

"Holy shit babe, that's fantastic, I knew you could do it... she passed Bea, she fucking rocked the exam, she only needed 90% but got 99.9%, 96 is considered a high pass, she's a bloody genius" Bridget spoke excitedly as she passed on the good news, not even realising that she had sworn in front of a client, something she tried her best not to do.

Frankie grinned as she heard Bea call her congratulations down the phone. "I'm really proud of you baby, we will go out tonight to celebrate, I'll book a nice restaurant and everything" Bridget started making plans, laughing as Bea told her off for talking about eating nice food when she would be stuck with prison slop.

"That sounds awesome baby, you pick the place and I will be there, I'm just going out with the girls for lunch to celebrate now, but wanted to call you first and let you know"

"Ok babe, have a fantastic lunch, I'm so proud of you, I told you that you didn't need to worry" Bridget grinned as they said their goodbyes and hung up, a few moments later her phone vibrated again, with an apologetic glance to Bea she checked to make sure that it wasn't Frankie again, but saw that it was a video from Jane, opening it up she saw Frankie in the screen opening an envelope. She turned the volume up and moved the screen around so Bea was able to watch it too, the watched as the colour drained from Frankie's face as the shock hit her.

"Reckon your up to bending a few rules tomorrow? You mentioned Frankie had the afternoon off for her evening meet up, i was thinking maybe we could surprise her with a little celebration" Bea asked with a mischievous smile.

"I reckon that can be arranged, leave it with me and I will get back to you about what I can do, I will swing by your unit before I leave to finalise plans" Bridget grinned before returning to their earlier conversation about Bea's timeline and her memories.

Frankie woke up feeling a little tender from all the champagne she had drunk the day before, but her frown quickly turned into a smile when she felt the naked body wrapped around her, without opening her eyes she snuggled closer to Bridget and lay contently, breathing in her scent.

"Good morning genius" Bridget grinned after Frankie's lips placing butterfly kisses over her jaw and neck finally woke her up.

"Good morning spunky" Frankie beamed brightly.

"Your in a good mood this morning" Bridget announced, she felt pretty great herself, normally she wasn't a morning person, but how could you wake up grouchy when your naked girlfriend woke you up with kisses as she was wrapped around your body.

"Yeah well, it's a good day. I have the woman I love, an amazing house, I spent the whole night having amazing sex, and I get to go to work today knowing I scored higher than every other person in the firm... how can I complain?" Frankie grinned cheekily.

"I see" Bridget drawled as she ran her fingers in soothing teasing circles over Frankie's sleeve tattoo. "I need you to swing by my office after you finish early, about 1pm is that ok?" Bridget asked as she watched Frankie close her eyes and relax back into her pillow, basking in the feelings Bridget was giving her.

"Sure, anything serious?" Frankie asked distractedly.

"Nothing too serious, I just need your help with something and it would be easier to do at work, just tell the guard on reception to buzz me when you arrive and i will come and meet you ok?" Bridget asked as she rolled on top of Frankie and began kissing her neck.

"If you keep doing that I will do absolutely anything you tell me to" Frankie grinned suggestively.

"Oh really... and what if I do this, what will you do then?" Bridget asked with a teasing smile as her hand slid down Frankie's body.

"Your late" Vera smirked as Bridget rushed into her office thirty minutes late for work, she was supposed to be in Vera's office first thing for a meeting.

"Sorry I slept in" Bridget lied easily, but failed to control the slight blush rising into her cheeks.

"Slept in, right, is that why your smirking like a naughty child?" Vera snorted as Bridget's blushed deepened.

"Sorry" Bridget confessed.

"Don't be, the amount of free overtime you put in, I'm sure I can turn a blind eye to you staying in bed with your girlfriend and forgetting all about the rest of the world, every now and then" Vera grinned.

"Best boss ever" Bridget joked as she helped herself to a coffee from Vera's machine, making one for her friend too.

"So everything is in place, Bea and the girls are just finishing breakfast then they are going to be getting ready for the morning, I gave them the day off work detail so they could prepare" Vera announced as she took the offered coffee with a smile.

"Frankie Doyle is at the entrance for you Miss Westfall" The guard announced as he called Bridget.

"Thankyou, I will be there in just a moment to collect her" Bridget told him, hanging up the phone and calling Vera to announce Frankie's arrival.

Bridget walked slowly down the corridor, taking as much time as she could get away with before calling into the entrance to collect Frankie who looked at her with annoyance.

"What took so long? Were you walking here from China?" Frankie frowned.

"Nah, just taking my time, it's a lovely day for a stroll" Bridget grinned as she motioned for Frankie to join her and they started walking the corridors, after a few moments, Frankie realised they weren't heading to Bridget's office and looked at her questioningly.

"Where the hell are you taking me Gidge?" Frankie asked in confusion.

"I told you, I need your help with something" Bridget smiled as she nodded her head, telling Frankie to keep following her. They approached the visitors room and Frankie realised that they had walked a circular route around the prison, she glanced at Bridget in confusion, who motioned for Frankie to enter the room.

Rolling her eyes, Frankie did as she was told and entered the visitors centre from the inmates entrance, jumping in shock when she was met with a chorus of "SURPRISE" from several voices, she glanced around the room to see the usual suspects in the room, grinning at her. Vera, Will and Linda Miles were there too, grinning proudly at her.

"What's all this?" Frankie asked, looking between the group before then turning to Bridget.

"Don't ask me, all I had to do was get you here" Bridget smirked as she ran her hand softly down Frankie's back and pushed her forward gently into the room.

"We heard the good news and wanted to celebrate with ya" Boomer announced as she pounced on Frankie, literally knocking Bridget out of the way.

"Jesus Booms, careful" Frankie grinned as she looked behind her to check Bridget was ok and was surprised to find her laughing at Boomer from her spot on the floor.

"Alright Booms let me go before I suffocate" Frankie told her, trying to pull away but instead was pulled tighter into her embrace.

"So Frankie, now your officially a stuck up lawyer... will you be my Lawyer, I'll pay you and everything" Boomer grinned.

"I thought you already were paying me Booms, I'd better rip up those invoices when I get back to the office" Frankie laughed when Boomer finally released her, the other women all coming to take their turns in giving Frankie hugs.

"Jesus you guys, way to make a girl feel loved, your going to make me cry if your not careful" Frankie laughed as she blinked back the tears threatening to make an appearance.

"Nah way man, Franky Doyle doesn't cry, she just goes boonta" Boomer laughed as she punched Frankie playfully on the shoulder.

"So, what is this anyway?" Frankie asked, motioning around her at the balloons and banners decorating the area.

"It's a celebration... and Miss Bennett has even organised for some food and some drinks" Bea announced.

"Do I have you to thank for this Red?" Frankie asked as she pulled the older woman into a hug and kissed her head lovingly, a greeting that had quickly become a standard for them.

"We all had our parts to play, we just wanted to show you how proud we all are of you, and we are... proud that is... we couldn't be prouder" Bea stated into the hug, feeling her body relax at the safety she found there.

"Thanks Red" Frankie whispered into her hair as she forced herself to blink back the tears again.

"Foods up" Vera announced as a prison guard Frankie didn't know entered the room with several boxes of Dominoes pizza and a pissed off expression, but all Frankie could do was grin at the cheer that erupted from her friends. Clearly they hadn't known about the food Vera had ordered. She looked for the woman in question, frowning when she saw her returning from the monitoring room with a cardboard box.

"Who's for a glass of champagne" Vera announced to the women who spun around in shock then began cheering when they saw the bottle in Vera's hand and realised she was serious.

"Ahh not for me Governor... I wont be drinking alcohol for a while" Boomer grinned cheekily, knowing she was skating on thin ice with the governor who was still not happy about her pregnancy announcement.

"I have coke for you Booms" Vera grinned as she pulled a two litre bottle of coke from the box, laughing as Boomer charged at her and encased her in a tight hug, something she had never experienced before or expected.

"Your alright you, ya know" Boomer confessed as she pulled away.

"Not quite the stuck up bitch you expected?" Vera asked with a raised eyebrow which quickly turned into a grin when she heard Frankie snort in amusement as Boomers eyes widened in horror.

"What did you tell her that for Frankie" Boomer glared as she returned to her seat.

"She pried it out of me" Frankie laughed as she held both hands up in defence as she walked to join the women, smiling when the four prison workers joined them at the large table and began passing around glasses of champagne, and a coke for Boomer, before sitting down to enjoy their lunch together. There was an awkward silence for a few moments as the prison officials began sharing out the pizzas and began tucking in to the slices they had served themselves.

"Well come on then... eat up" Will Jackson grinned as he saw the shock registering on the inmates faces.

"I'm pretty sure if you guys don't want this pizza, the other women would take it off your hands" Vera announced as she winked at Boomer, who stood up quickly and started serving some pizza onto her plate before Vera had an opportunity to follow through on her threat, the other women looked on in amusement for a few moments before following Boomers lead.

Frankie glanced around the table at her friends, some old and some new, but each of them deserving of a space at this special table. She watched as her friends wearing uniforms talked easily with her friends in teal as if it were a regular occurrence. She glanced to Bridget and noticed her girlfriend watching her with a playful smirk, clearly reading her mind, it drove Frankie crazy sometimes at Bridget's ability to do that. She threw her girlfriend a wink from the opposite side of the table, loving that they were so connected they could communicate without words, Bridget nodded her understanding of Frankie's thanks.

"Come on Frankie, give us a speech" Bea announced once they had all filled themselves with the pizza, and Bridget had gone around and topped up everyone's glasses.

"Oh come on, we don't need to go that far" Frankie blushed, causing a round of laughter before Boomer began a chant of 'Frankie, Frankie, Frankie', the woman in question could only roll her eyes in embarrassment as the rest of the group joined in, upping their pressure as they began banging their hands on the table in excitement. She could hardly say no now.

Frankie stood up from her seat and looked at the faces around her once again, a lump forming in her throat as she thought of how important each of them had been in her life at some point or another. Clearing her throat, she thought for a few seconds about what she could say, but coming up short, she decided to just speak.

"Look you all know I'm not a person of many words" Frankie started, and threw a glare at Liz who laughed loudly and muttered something under her breath about that being utter bullshit which caused the others to laugh.

"Alright Liz... as you all know I'm a person of too many words, most of them flirtatious or sexual" Frankie grinned when Boomer cheered. "I just wanted to say, seriously, and from the bottom of my heart, just how much this means to me. As I look at all of you, my friends, my allies, my peers and my pain in the arse ex jailers... it really brings a lump to my throat to see you all, sat here... no divides between you, despite which side of the bars you stand on... despite any scores from the past... each of you, in some way have impacted my life and helped me get to the place I am at today, and all I can really say... i guess... is thankyou, truly thankyou. If it wasn't for all of you, I would still be wearing teal, and lets face it, teal was never my colour... so thankyou, and thankyou for organising this, I know it must have taken a lot of effort from you all, and I'm guessing a lot of strings were pulled to sort it out, it means the world to me that you all did this for me" Frankie grinned as she wiped a tear and sat back down, each of her friends sitting quietly in shock as they listened to Frankie's honest admission. Vera stood up to say something, but was silenced when Frankie stood back up and motioned to Vera that she had something else to say.

"Today is actually a really special day for me" Frankie admitted as she began speaking again, she rubbed her hands on her skinny black jeans in hope to remove the clamminess that was building in her palms.

"I was going to save this for tonight... but what the hell, we are here, and I have all my friends and family around us, so I guess there is no time like the present right?" Frankie asked, more to herself than to her captive audience who were watching her intently and trying to work out what the hell had gotten into Frankie to make her such a nervous wreck.

Frankie walked around the table till she was stood next to Bridget, she smiled nervously at her before her hand made it's way into her jacket pocket, nervously making sure that the item she needed was still sat there, she had picked it up earlier and was keeping it on her person until the time was right.

"Gidge...:" Frankie smiled at her girlfriend again, she couldn't believe how nervous she felt. "Bridget... shit I have planned so many times what I was going to say right now, but I've completely fucking forgotten" Frankie grumbled to herself before throwing a huge smile on her face.

"Bridget, my entire life I have been surrounded by people, my family, then the foster homes, then my dickhead mates, and then in Wentworth, but I had always felt completely alone but then you walked into my life, life this breath of fresh air. You told me that I was worth something when even I didn't believe it, and you made me believe it, and you made me live it. You have helped me grow into this respectful and responsible person, you helped me get my shit together, and you didn't take any of my shit whilst you did it... not once did you ever ask for anything in return, you did it because you saw something in me that nobody else could see, and there is nothing that I could ever say or do that would be able to repay you for everything you have done for me. You didn't just love me, you taught me to love myself... and by doing that, I couldn't help but fall for you, for your kind heart, your strength and your morals, you never crossed a line, that would have been so easy to cross, regardless of how much you wanted to , and how much I pushed you to cross it, because that's who you are, this beautiful and amazing woman who is so strong and incredible..." Frankie paused to take a few deep breaths as she tightened her hand around the box in her pocket, she threw a nervous smile to her girlfriend before lowering herself down on one knee in front of Bridget, taking her left hand in her own.

"Holy shit, she's gonna..." Boomer began to call excitedly before Maxine leant closer and clasped her hand over the larger woman's mouth, throwing her a glare telling her to shut up and just watch.

"Gidge, you're the love of my life, and I swear I will spend every single day striving to be the person that is worthy of your heart, I promise that I will never do anything to hurt you and will only continue growing into this life we have started to carve out for ourselves. Gidge, I love you, so much... Bridget, will you make me the happiest person alive again, and be my wife?" Frankie asked, the tears rolling slowly down her face as she poured her heart out to the woman of her dreams in front of the people she considered family. Her brown eyes, searching in Bridget's for any sign of refusal.

"If you don't say yes, I fucking will" Boomer called as she pulled Maxine's hand away from her mouth, tears streaming down her face as she watched her oldest friend, the woman she loved as a sister, so something she never thought she would see.

"Do you even have to ask that question Frankie?" Bridget grinned as she leant forward, her right hand snaking behind Frankie's neck and pulling her into a desperate, love filled kiss. They broke apart when their friends began cheering.

"Doe's that mean yes?" Frankie asked, her trademark smirk washing over her face.

"Yes Frankie, yes I will marry you, and yes I will be your wife" Bridget grinned, barely believing that this was happening.

"Shit... I forgot the ring bit..." Frankie growled as she pulled the box out of her pocket, her hand trembling with excitement as she tried to open it.

"It was perfect baby" Bridget grinned as Frankie guided the ring onto her finger, she glanced down at it and gasped at how beautiful the ring was, she recognised it instantly and burst into tears as she jumped forward and pulled Frankie into her arms.

"Jesus Miss Westfall... I know you've just agreed to put up with Frankie for the rest of your life, but there's no need to cry about it, you could have just said no" Boomer grinned as she received playful slaps from Maxine, Bea and Liz.

"You remembered" Bridget gasped.

"How could I forget" Frankie grinned as she kissed Bridget's nose lovingly.

"Ok, you've had your moment, show us the ring" Allie called as she jumped up and rushed towards Bridget in excitement.

"Holy shit, its beautiful" Allie grinned as Bridget held her hand out proudly, showing first Allie and then the others as they all crowded in to congratulate the couple.

"Bloody hell Frankie... you've got some taste" Will grinned as he looked at the ring.

"It's her family heirloom ring, it had been passed down from generation... how many times Gidge?" Frankie asked, deciding to fill her friends in on the importance of the ring.

"seven, each mother handed it down to her eldest daughters prospective fiancée to use" Bridget announced proudly.

"But some bloody criminal stole it from her mothers house when she was robbed" Frankie grinned cheekily at her criminal joke.

"Baby, it must have cost you a fortune to have it replicated" Bridged grinned as she cuddled closer to her betrothed.

"Wait... what... Gidge, do you think I had this made?" Frankie asked confused.

"Of course, how else did you get a replication if you didn't take my photo in and have the jeweller replicate it?" Bridget asked with a smirk, proud that her girl had gone to such a thoughtful effort for her.

"Gidge, I didn't have it made... this is your family heirloom ring, I tracked it down, found it in some pawnbrokers in Sydney... its not a replication baby" Frankie grinned as the realisation hit Bridget who broke down again and pounced into Frankie's arms as she cried.

"God, wait till my mum finds out that this ring is back in the family, do you know how happy she will be? How the hell did you find it?" Bridget asked as she pulled back, forgetting all about where they were.

"I wont lie, it wasn't easy... and I now owe A LOT of favours out, but I tracked it down... I am a genius after all, just in case you didn't know" Frankie grinned cheekily.

"Oh and your mum... she was ecstatic when I told her" Frankie laughed.

"Mum already knows? How? Did you tell her or did she help you find it?" Bridget asked, a little sad that she wouldn't get to be the one to share the news and see the excitement on her mothers face.

"Gidge... you really do misjudge me sometimes, do you honestly think I would ask you to marry me without asking for your parents permission first?" Frankie laughed, Bridget's parents were a lovely couple, although her father was quite strict, pretty standard for a man who had enrolled in the Armed Services at 16 and built his way through the ranks until his retirement five years ago.

"Oh my god, you didn't?" Bridget gasped in horror, she could not imagine how well that had gone down.

"I did, twice in fact... the first time he told me very politely.. Well actually he just told me to fuck off and get off his property" Frankie laughed at Bridget's blush. "So how did you get him to agree?" Bridget wondered, her relationship with her father had been somewhat strained ever since she had come out, he didn't approve, and Bridget didn't care. Eventually her mother had forced him to apologise and make things right with their only daughter, and as any good husband does, he did as he was told, Bridget accepted his apology, knowing that it wasn't from the heart, and from that day forward she kept her private life and her family life separate, that is of course until the day she took Frankie home for dinner, the first person Bridget had ever introduced to her parents, and Frankie had not made the best impression when she made a comment to Bridget's mother in front of her father about her being able to see where Bridget got her 'hotness' from.

"Remember that weekend I went away for work a few weeks back... " Frankie admitted bashfully, she had arrived at the Westfall family home on Friday night after work, and after being told to leave by Bridget's father, she had messaged Bridget to tell her she had been roped into going away for a case and wasn't sure how long she would be away, in fact she had been away for four days. When Bridget nodded that she remembered, Frankie took a deep breath, knowing her confession would cause a lifetime of ribbing, especially from Boomer.

"Well I refused to leave until your father heard me out... he told me I would be waiting for a while, and I promised him that I would wait as long as it took... I sat at the bottom of their drive for three days... three bloody days Gidge... your mum took pity on me thank god and brought me some food out... and lets just say that if your mum ever comments on why her rose bushes look so wonderful, we will never speak of how they were fertilised... well finally after four days, your dad comes marching down the drive with his hunting rifle... FYI, your dad is scary as shit with a gun... he nearly blew a hole through my foot" Frankie laughed at the memory.

"Holy shit, he shot at you?" Allie asked as she hung off of every word in Frankie's tale.

"Yep, three times actually, I have no idea how he bloody missed. Anyway, I stood my ground, told him he would have to aim a bit better if he wanted me to leave, and he just stood there glaring at me, like he was about to throttle me, and I seriously don't doubt that he could have... and eventually he asked me why I was doing this to him, and I explained, and he told me to fuck off again, and I sat back down in the same spot as before, he asked me what I was doing, and I told him again that I wasn't leaving until he had agreed to let me ask you... we said a few choice things to each other that I couldn't possibly repeat to a lady, and we came to an agreement that he would let me ask you, if I agreed to leave his drive... as you can see I left his drive" Frankie laughed.

"I cant believe he shot at you" Boomer cackled.

"Oh it doesn't end there Booms" Frankie winked. "The next morning I knocked on their door again, and he opens the door, and I swear he was in the middle of turning to grab his gun again when I asked him again if I could ask Gidge to marry me, he asked if I was demented because he already gave me his blessing, and I looked him straight in the eye and I said 'Mr Westfall, yesterday you said I could ask your daughter to marry me if I left your drive, today I'm asking you to let me ask her because she is your daughter, and you love her, and she is your world and she is my world too and all I want to do is love her and make her happy and keep her safe but I couldn't do that without his blessing and if he didn't give me his blessing, not only would he be crushing me, but he would be ruining Bridget's chance to marry the person she had spent her whole life looking for" Frankie smiled proudly.

"What did he say to that" Vera asked dreamily.

"He stepped towards me, and he thrust he hand out towards me, and I swear, I thought he was going to go boonta on my arse... but he just stood there... his hand extended out to me, waiting for me to shake his hand, and as I was shitting myself under his stare, I reached out and took his hand, and said "Thankyou sir, you have no idea how much this means to me" and you know what he did next?" Frankie asked, smirking to herself at each face watching her intently. A loud laugh escaping her lips as each person said "What" practically as a collective.

"He pulled me into this hug, and he told me to make sure I make his little girl happy, and then he took me inside and poured me a glass of whisky from his special bottle" Frankie grinned.

"Wait my dad hugged you?" Bridget asked and frowned when Frankie nodded. "You do realise my dad hasn't hugged me since I was like 10... what the hell!" Bridget pouted.

"Ahhh... Me and Derek, were just really close Gidge, we're kindred spirits" Frankie winked.

"So anyway, then your mum came in and gave me a hug... and one of her heavenly Bakewell tarts... which by the way she gave me the family recipe to... and asked me how I planned to do it, and I admitted that I hadn't worked that out yet, but I pulled the ring out to show her and explained how I had tracked it down and she pulled me into another hug and cried into my shoulder... and I was like 'Hey there Sally, there's no need to cry, the ring is back in the family now and I promise that Gidge will look after it until we pass it down to our daughter to wear" Frankie laughed at the shock on Bridget's face.

"You did not say that to my mother" Bridget cringed.

"Oh yeah, I did... and just so you now, your mum says that her friends son is very handsome and if we want him to be our donor, she will speak to him... some Mark guy" Frankie announced proudly.

"Hang on... how does my mother know about sperm donors?" Bridget asked, her mother had always been very prim and proper, born and raised a catholic and strongly believed in gods natural path.

"Well Gidge, we sat and had a lovely conversation all about the different ways that we could give her a grandchild, and she thinks that the egg transplant and donor is definitely the way forward for us" Frankie laughed as Bridget groaned and hung her head in embarrassment as her friends laughed at Frankie's experience.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N -

Well I should be pretty much back to posting normally now, apologies for any delays, i have been super super busy.

Thanks for all the reviews, I have just caught up on reading them all and loved reading every single one of them, thank you so much for taking the time to send me a little note.

WentworthSupportGroup - CONGRATULATIONS! I put a little Easter egg in there whilst trying to think of a new name for Fletch, and also a name for his girlfriend, and I did wonder if anyone at all would pick up on it, and so far, you're the only one to comment on it. 10 points to you for being awesome!

Not a very long chapter this one, but its a bit of a filler, some big things are on the way... i have just finished proof reading up to chapter 28 and have maybe 3 chapters left to proof read before i write some more... i got a little bit ahead of myself and was doing an hour of writing every night before i fell asleep on my phone so the typo's are appalling ha ha.

Enjoy, and as always, please take 2 seconds to send a review so I know to keep going with this.

AL xxx

The atmosphere was very, well giggly, as the women of H1 cleaned up the visiting room and put it back to its normal layout once the party had finished. Mr Jackson had offered to stay behind on guard, but

instead helped the women as he asked Smiles nicely to reheat the pizza in the staff room microwave for the women to polish off for dinner.

It had been 45 minutes since Frankie and Bridget had made a hasty retreat, everyone assuming that they had left for home in order for Frankie to prepare for her upcoming meeting.

"hey hey what do we have here. What do you reckon those two have been doing for the last hour" Boomer grinned loudly as she saw the two lovebirds walking past the visitors entrance, giggling about some secret as they made their way to the prison exit.

Everyone turned to look at what Boomer had pointed out to them, each smiling inwardly as they watched the two women blissfully lost in their own bubble and completely unaware of their spectators.

"Hey Doyle, I hope you didn't do anything I wouldn't do" Bea called loudly, hoping against hope that she could embarrass her friend, for once being on the giving end instead of the receiving end as usual.

As Frankie and Bridget turned to the room in shock at Bea's voice, Boomer let out a wolf whistle loud enough to be heard over a crowd of rioting inmates. Bridget's blush gave everything away as to what the two women had been up to, but Frankie, never one to miss a beat, threw a wink to Bea before pulling her trademark smirk.

"Allie should be so lucky" Frankie called, receiving an embarrassed slap from her fiancé before being dragged away to the exit as she giggled happily to herself, much to Bridget's frustration.

"Who would have thought, Frankie Doyle proposing to her girlfriend… without a single innuendo… after asking the woman's father for permission" Liz grinned.

"They look so happy" Doreen commented as she watched the two women walking through the car park outside, Bridget's shriek echoing through the room and she began running and Frankie gave chase until they were out of sight.

"It gives you hope that if Frankie can find it, then so can we" Maxine mused as she took a chair that Boomer was attempting to lift, throwing her a playful glare that she shouldn't have been lifting anything.

"I hope so, it would be nice to have what they have one day" Will Jackson mused aloud as he dragged a table back into position.

"Do you not have anyone to keep your bed warm at night then Mr Jackson?" Allie asked, receiving a playful nudge from Bea who was smirking in amusement at Allie's bluntness.

"Nah... there has been a few women since... Meg passed, but nothing serious" Will confided feeling completely at ease around the women.

"That's a real shame love" Liz patted his arm affectionately and was rewarded with a kind smile from the prison officer.

"You'll find a special someone soon enough Sir, you're good looking, you're a top guy… and you have a lovely smile… according to Bea your arse could do with some work though" Boomer grinned completely missing the wet cloth that Bea threw at her, and glaring as it hit her square in the face.

"Is that right Smith… thanks for the advice, I'll make sure I do some glutes at the gym tonight" Will grinned at Her, unsuccessfully dodging the cloth she threw at him which hit him square in the face.

"That's a slottable offence Smith" Will grinned as he tossed it back, aiming straight for Bea's head.

"What about Miss Bennet… she was looking pretty hot tonight" Maxine cooed, never able to resist the urge to play cupid.

"The Governor… she's not exactly my type!" Will laughed.

"Hey Bea… was Allie your type before you got together?" Maxie asked.

"Ha no… apparently abusive wankers were my type" Bea grinned cheekily, raising her eyebrow to Will in a silent comment that Maxine had a point. Will glanced back to Maxine who was looking at him the same way, he shook his head and grabbed the mop to clean the floor.

"Wow what a day!" Allie grinned as she snuggled into Bea. They had both had their second fill of pizza, and showered before excusing themselves from their friends to get an early night.

"Yeah… they are cute together, hey" Bea grinned, happy to see her friend so loved up and on track to turning her life around. "have you ever thought about doing it" Bea asked out of the blue.

"What's that?" Allie asked absently as she spooned Bea, her attention focused on the fingers that were playing with her own.

"Marriage" Bea said more confidently than she felt, her brow furrowing when Allie's fingers stilled and she stopped breathing.

"Are you asking me to marry you Bea Smith" Allie grinned when she had finally composed herself, her fingers returning to their previous game when she heard Bea chuckle and felt her head shake.

"Not yet" Bea finally replied. "I meant have you ever thought about it?" Bea said shyly.

"Of course I have, every little girl dreams about her wedding day" Allie smiled as she kissed Bea's shoulder tenderly.

"But what about as a big girl?" Bea could hear the nervousness in her voice, but couldn't explain why she felt so nervous having this conversation.

"I haven't really thought too much about it, I mean in the last ten years I have been a junkie, had 7 relapses, and been living on the street selling my body to pay for my addiction… I never really thought I was going to live out the 'pretty woman' fantasy that most hookers expect.. and then since you… I mean, I never really thought you would want to even go there again after Harry"

Allie sighed after several minutes of a heavy silence. "What's going on in that beautiful head Bea" Allie whispered.

"You're not Harry… and I'm not Richard Gere" Bea breathed barely audible.

"Married or not… I would never lay a hand on you, I respect you too much to ever treat you that way. I love you totally and completely, just the thought of laying a finger on you in anyway that your not fully consenting of… and no I'm not Harry, and I never will be, and I want you to tell me if I ever do anything

that makes you feel like I am anything like him. Your my seahorse Bea, I only want happiness for you, even if I'm not the one that is lucky enough to do that for you" Allie confessed. "plus your way hotter than Richard Gere" Allie giggled softly.

"So is that your answer?" Bea persisted after Allie finished laughing at her own joke.

"Bea… if your asking hypothetically if you asked me to marry you, what my answer would be… then I would feel honored that after everything you have been through that you would trust me enough to go there again… and I would so say hell yes!" Allie smiled when she felt Bea's body relax slightly.

"so while we are playing this game… what would you say if I asked you?" Allie smirked knowing that Bea would be cringing internally at her questioning being thrown back at her.

"hypothetically…" Bea grinned when she heard Allie's soft laugh. "I would say you would look stunning in a white dress and I would be stupid to knock back the opportunity to see you walking down the aisle towards me in it" Bea frowned when Allie burst out in laughter, her body rocking the entire bed. Bea pulled away slightly and turned to face her girlfriend, the hurt evident in her eyes.

"A white dress.. seriously…. That's a symbol of virginity… and I'm an ex hooker… can you seriously not see the comedy in that?" Allie soothed when she saw the pain in Bea's beautiful eyes and felt terrible for being the cause of it.

"Alliecat… firstly stop with all the hooker crap, there are many things that define the person you are, your former career choice isn't one of them. Secondly, neither of us were virgins in the physical sense, but speaking for myself.. I consider that first time we made love as 'THE' first time for me. Not the first time with a woman… but the first time with someone who viewed me as an equal, with someone who it was fully consensual and it was about love and intimacy. I view you as my first" Bea grinned when she felt Allie pull her close again, extinguishing any distance between them, she could feel the younger woman's lips in a broad grin against her shoulder. "and lastly… no white dress... no wedding"

"Oh it's like that is it? I love it when your so dominating" Allie admitted.

"I can be more dominating if that's what you want" Bea flirted unashamedly.

"I want you to do whatever your comfortable with in the knowledge that I trust you totally and completely … just no bruises" Allie smirked, glad that their misunderstanding had been cleared up.

"Deal and the same goes for you" Bea sighed into the embrace contently.

"Do we need to set up some kind of safe word here Queen Bea" Allie flirted with a giggle.

"Hah… safe word, that worries me about what you have in store for me.. but sure, how about… albatross?" Bea grinned.

"Albatross? What the actual fuck Bea, where did that com from?"

"Well it's not a word that usually comes up in sex is it" Bea grinned.

"Not in my experience… fine albatross it is" Allie shook her head in amusement.

Bea spun around in Allie's arms, capturing her lips in a searing kiss the second she was able to. "it never ceases to amaze me how you manage to turn everything back to sex…" Bea announced when they finally pulled away, panting slightly to regain their breath.

"It's my super power" Allie grinned.

"I thought that was hearing when my pants dropped" Bea grinned sexily.

"That too… I have many super powers" Allie grinned before capturing Bea's lips once more.

"Frankie Doyle?" Frankie spun around at the sound of her name to see a man sat in the booth behind her. He wore a black leather jacket and a baseball cap and was looking away from her so that she couldn't see his face.

"Turn around and look like your doing something else, do not look at me" the man ordered. Frankie spun back around and pulled her phone from her pocket, making out that she was playing on it, she set her voice recorder off. This felt way too creepy to her and she wanted to get a recording of it for proof to herself that whatever was to come, had happened.

"What's with all the cloak and dagger?" Frankie asked quietly.

"I'm sticking my neck out on the line here, if anyone were to know I was talking to you… well let's just say it wouldn't end well for me, or you" His voice was deep, Frankie guessed he was probably somewhere between the 30's and 50's mark, his accent sounded like the standard Australian/Victorian accent, no trace of any foreign heritage.

Frankie felt a soft tremor of fear and nerves travel up her spine at the honesty in his words. "Who are you?"

"A friend of a friend… how about you just call me D. So what did you think to my email?" D asked, careful to keep his voice low.

"It was… interesting, but I would love to know what to has to do with me" Frankie probed.

"The man in the photo, he goes by the name Jimbo…. His real name is Jacob Stewart. Over the last several months he has been receiving several bank transfers from Fergusons attorney. Now something tells me that this is the guy that bitch hired to kill Nils Jesper"

"And you can prove this claim, right?" Frankie asked, a ball of excitement building in her stomach at the prospect of this information.

"That's your job, not mine… I'm just telling you where you can start looking" D stated with a air of annoyance in his voice.

"And what is it that you get out of giving me this information?" Frankie asked awaiting patiently for the catch, several moments passed as she waited, finally losing her patience, she spun around to face whoever this mystery man was, her stomach sinking when she saw the empty booth behind her.

She picked her drink up and drained its dregs before getting up, determined to put the meeting behind her for tonight so she could go home and restart the celebrations with Gidget. Tomorrow however, she would start looking into Jacob 'Jimbo' Stewart, now she had a name to the face.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N - Happy Hump Day people... Wednesday, my favorite day of the week! Here is chapter 22 for all my lovely followers. This one is a bit of a filler for several sections of the story, I do hope you enjoy it! I spent yesterday proof reading up to chapter 31, and writing several more chapters. trying to piece little bit's here and there. I'm trying hard to keep a good mixture of fluff and story line in this one, there are snippet's of story line hidden everywhere, so keep your eye's peeled to try and find the clue's about what's coming up.

Thanks to all of those who have reviewed so far, as someone who suffers with severe depression and bipolar, the reviews are a godsend to me, they really bring a lot of joy to me, help with my self confidence and really make me smile. So for those who have taken a few second's of their day to review, thank you from the bottom of my heart, your messages bring more love than you could ever imagine... and for those reading silently... thank you for joining me on this journey, the hit's and follow's on this fic amaze me every time i check them, i'm still surprised that over a thousand different people from over twenty countries have taken their precious time to read this little story of mine, if you could find it in your heart to drop me a line to say hello and give me your honest opinions, i would be forever grateful, if you have any suggestions for thing's you would like to see featured in this fic, please let me know... suggestion's are always welcome, as is constructive criticism, i am always looking for way's to improve my writing, my story lines, my character referencing, my proofreading and my attempt's at humor.

Please enjoy this chapter, there is a few smaller sized chapters upcoming before we hit the bigger chapters again that will be full of drama, angst, romance and comedy... all the things that we love about Wentworth!

AL xxx

Frankie watched as Vera played with the wine glass in her hand nervously. She had been surprised when she had received the txt message from the Governor asking for the brunette lawyer to meet with her after work for a drink alone, initially she had thought it was some kind of prank her fiancé and her new bestie were playing on her, but as she sat inspecting the woman before her, she knew that it was a serious meeting from Vera's straight face and nervous mannerisms.

"Frankie I need to make a confession, but I need to know that it will stay between us, you absolutely can't tell Bridget and you can't use it in your case…. Can you assure me these things?" Vera finally broke the silence, the tears in her eyes confirming everything Frankie needed to know about how serious this meeting was

"Look I swore to Gidge that I would never lie to her, and I can't make any agreements that require me to break that promise… saying that, as long as she doesn't ask me outright, she will never hear it pass from my lips" Frankie said honestly.

"and the case?" Vera asked as she ran her hands through her hair, which was trailing down past her shoulders.

Frankie sighed, knowing she was in a catch 22. "look… why don't you tell me what's going on as friend Frankie and once I will know what we are dealing with, legal Frankie can work out how to use it to our advantage without your name being linked to it" Frankie offered.

"friend Frankie may want nothing to do with me after she finds this out" Vera frowned.

"Vera… take a sip of that wine, loosen those lips, and let's deal with this together, yeah?" Frankie watched as Vera downed the remainder of her wine, closed her eyes and with a sigh she began.

"It was me who let Smith out that day… with Ferguson"

Frankie stared in shock at Vera, she could swear that she had just imagined the words coming out of her mouth, but the way Vera sat with her eyes closed, the lone tear breaking free from her eyes and speeding down her face, she knew that she had heard right. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

"Ok, I need you to start from the beginning, and tell me everything that happened, don't leave out any detail, regardless of how small you may think it is"

"Right… well when we knew Ferguson was going to be released, Bea came to see me with a proposal, she told me that she if she could get her hands on a mobile, she would be able to face Ferguson and try to dupe a confession out of her. So I agreed… I let her outside with a promise that she would return, and I watched her the whole time with the walkie in my hand so if she even looked like she would escape, I could call for backup. I watched her approach the freak… they exchanged a few words, then all of a sudden Bea launched at Ferguson, she had something in her hand, I thought it was the phone, but I'm guessing it was actually the screwdriver. Bea stepped back… then all of a sudden she stepped forward and I swear it looked like she forced Ferguson to thrust the driver into herself. After the altercation I inspected Beas cell… the phone was on her bed, she didn't even take it with her." Vera announced, still not looking up into Frankie's eyes.

"Vera… you know as well as I do that that when Bea has a plan to do something… nothing and no one can get in her way and her mind won't be changed. You are not to blame for Bea being attacked ok?" Frankie stated, making sure that Vera understood her.

"But if it wasn't for me Bea wouldn't have been so badly injured. And wouldn't have memory loss…. And I put my career on the line" another lone tear ran down Vera's face.

"and because of you Bea was able to get Ferguson locked up for good… where she can't hurt anyone" Frankie was adamant she would put a more positive spin on this situation.

"So tell me, how fucked is my career?" Vera asked eventually after taking a few minutes to compose herself while Frankie ordered them another round of drinks.

"Your career is fine because no one needs to know that it was you who let Bea out… I'm guessing you were careful about there not being any evidence of your involvement?" Frankie waited for Vera to confirm. "right well in that case no one will ever know unless you tell them… but as a friend… I would like you to talk to Gidge… be honest with her and let her help you deal with this, if you don't deal with it then it's going to eat you up inside…" Frankie trailed off. She watched the cogs turning behind Vera's eyes before she nodded in agreement.

"You can trust Gidge, she wont betray you. I have told her some pretty incriminating things in the past, and instead of lagging she helped me through it… she knows how to be discreet and you're her friend, she will want to help you with this" Frankie soothed Vera who nodded a little more confidently. They finished their drinks before Vera followed Frankie home to talk to Bridget whilst Frankie made some more notes for the case, the information wasn't the best as she knew she couldn't use it and throw her friend under the bus, but it did complete another part of the puzzle. One more question answered and another step closer to having the case ready to go to trial.

"Frankie Doyle… as I live and breathe" the tall blonde grinned as her eyes trailed over the professional looking ex inmate.

"Officer Williams, long time no see" Frankie grinned, she had walked into the police station on the opposite side of Melbourne, not expecting to run into an old face. Frankie watched as the slightly older, but still just as attractive officer bent over the desk seductively, a flirtatious smile plastered on her lips as she made an effort to push her breasts together so that they were straining against the material of her work shirt.

"Too long, I'm guessing your out… as you're stood here.. unless you've come to hand yourself back in?" Officer Williams asked cheekily. She had been one of the arresting officers on Frankie's case, and during the investigations they had grown quite close, close enough for Williams to risk her job for a quick fuck in the interview halls toilets.

"Nope I'm a free woman, and have no intention of ever going back… I'm actually a lawyer now, I've just recently passed my bars" Frankie grinned proudly.

"So Frankie Doyle, what can I help you with today?" The smirk on the blonde woman's face took Frankie back a little, she was being far less obvious than the last time their paths had crossed.

"I have some questions regarding a case I'm working on and was hoping I could get an officer to give me some answers and shed some light on a few things" Frankie said, keeping her tone professional and making sure that she didn't give the other woman any wrong ideas.

"sure.. ask away, it's a quiet day today so I should be able to help you out" Williams smirked, motioning for Frankie to come closer, which she did but stopped short of the counter so that she could keep some distance from her past.

Frankie removed a file from her briefcase and laid it on the desk, pushing it towards the officer. "Smith, Bea. I have been led to believe that this was the station she was brought to after her arrest"

"No way… are you building a case against 'THE' Bea Smith?" Williams asked, her eyes widening in excitement.

"Actually I'm just looking into a few things for a friend. I know Bea from my days inside and she asked me to check up on something" Frankie answered feigning disinterest and down playing the case, not wanting to raise any suspicions with anyone she didn't trust completely.

"Right… well I had just moved to this station a few weeks before she was arrested. I had nothing to do with her case but I saw her in passing. She looked so innocent back then, completely different from the psycho that was charged with two murders not long later" Williams laughed softly. "she was one fine piece of arse… don't tell me banged that?" Williams raised her eyebrows suggestively, her flirtatious smirk never leaving her lips, Frankie didn't remember the woman being like this the last time they met, so forward and uninhibited. Back then she was a lot more reserved, less forward, not as suggestive.

"No Bea's just a friend, a sister almost… and she is far from a psycho" Frankie growled, trying her hardest to keep her temper under control and her professional mask on.

"Right" Williams grinned showing she didn't believe the other woman. "so what do you want to know?" Williams asked hoping to move the conversation along so that she could ask the hot brunette out and hopefully re-enact their hot encounter several years back.

"Everything there is to know, statements, interview dialogues, opinions, station gossip…" Frankie trailed off.

"Well you should really have a court order to obtain those files... but seen as we go way back, I suppose I could help you out. You scratch my back and I will scratch yours" Williams winked. "wait here… I will go and get the paperwork" Williams smiled and left Frankie alone in the reception area. Frankie pulled her phone out and texted Bridget telling her all about her run in with a blast from the past.

'Should I be worried, I know you have a thing about uniforms' Frankie scoffed at Bridget's reply, instantly replying and correcting her that she had a thing for Bridget in uniforms. Her flirting was interrupted as Williams returned. Frankie made her way to the desk to continue their discussion, flicking through the files and asking the other women if she would be able to get a copy of them. The file contained a plethora of information that wouldn't be detailed in the final reports. There would be notes from the arresting officers and interviewing officers, observations, theories, links to evidence that hadn't made the cut for the original trial, and all of that could help Frankie paint the picture that Bea should never have originally been held on charges at Wentworth.

Williams nodded and moved off to the copier, bending over seductively to refill the paper tray and turning to throw Frankie a wink, determined to show the other woman that she was interested in second helpings of their past fuck fest, but Frankie wasn't watching her, she was smiling down at her phone.

"Here you go" Williams passed the paperwork over in a way that ensured she could stroke the fingers of Frankie's right hand that made to collect the photocopies, Frankie flinched away from the contact.

"I get off in two hours…. How about we go for a drink and then help each other... get... off?" Williams offered with a sexy smile as she leant in towards Frankie, making sure that the second part of her comment was just between the two of them.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm in a relationship, engaged in fact" Frankie flashed her new engagement ring that Bridget had surprised her with the night before.

"That doesn't change my offer" Williams smiled greasily.

"and that doesn't change my answer" Frankie said, placing the paperwork into her briefcase and taking a step back, hoping that the blonde would read her body language as well as hear her words that she had absolutely no interest in pursuing anything sexual with her.

"I'm asking you for a fuck, not a relationship" Williams laughed and Frankie had to make a conscious effort not to cringe. "nobody but us would ever need to know" Frankie glanced at the smirk on her past lovers lips thoughtfully. She couldn't believe that she used to be the person that would snap her hand off for an offer like that, but she wasn't that person anymore. Having one night stands with random women was definitely not something that appealed to her anymore, the only thing that appealed to her was spending a romantic evening making love to her fiancé.

"I appreciate the help Officer Williams, however I am here only in a professionally manner and have no interest in being with anybody romantically that isn't my fiancé. I'll see you around" Frankie practically ran out of the door before the blonde had any opportunity to reply. She felt proud of herself for standing her ground, and more so felt proud of herself for not even being slightly tempted in the offer from the attractive woman.

She made her way back to work, knowing her lunch hour would be coming to a close, and she needed to focus on the case she had been given 2nd chair in at work by Jane, it was a fantastic opportunity for her and would give her some amazing experience in any future cases.

Boomer had spent the day at the hospital going through several tests for her pregnancy, they had tried to get Maxine to be able to go, but unfortunately the request has been denied by the board, Vera had petitioned it and had put a good case forward that Maxine was the paternal mother of the child and it was breaching her human and parental rights by denying her the right to be there, but the board was adamant in their decision and wasn't going to budge.

"So Miss Jenkins would you like a copy of your ultrasound picture?" the obstetrician offered.

"Oh yes please… Maxi will want to see our little bub" Boomer grinned, her eyes never once leaving the screen and the grainy black and white image of the tiny child inside her.

"Maxi?" the obstetrician asked as she hit print and typed in several copies for the patient to take with her.

"She's the baby's father" Boomer said, she could see the confusion on the doctors face from the corner of her eye. She knew that this doctor would be with her for the remainder of her pregnancy and so decided to be open and honest about the situation.

"Maxi is a post op transgender who lives in Wentworth with me and the other girls. Before her op she banked some spunk in case she ever needed it for the future… and that's how she is the father of this child.. well the other mother of this child" Boomer explained, finally forcing her eyes away from the screen and her little rugrat to inspect the doctors reaction.

"Do you have access to a DVD player or a computer back at Wentworth?" the doctor asked completely unphased.

"Err yeah" Boomer asked, a little in shock at the lack of reaction from the other woman.

"Then if you want to wait just a few more minutes I can run a copy off of the ultrasound recording for you to share with Maxi, that way she will be able to see little rugrat moving and hear the heartbeat" the doctor notified her as she grabbed a disk and started the writing process, making sure to adopt the nickname for the baby to ease her patient about her concern of being treated poorly after her admission.

"Why didn't you look shocked about Maxi?" Boomer asked eventually, ignoring the questioning look from Officer Stewart.

"For two reasons really… the first is because it is none of my business, it is your's and Maxi's business and I have no right to judge you. The second is because I'm a fully trained obgyn, I'm under no illusion that the creation of a baby comes in many forms, and as long as you both are committed to being good parents to rugrat and keeping him or her healthy and safe and look after each other as parents of this child, then nobody has the right to judge you" the doctor grinned, handing Boomer an envelope containing a DVD and seven Photos .

"Miss Jenkins…"

"Call me Boomer or Booms… it's the only name I respond to" Boomer interrupted with a smile.

"Very well Booms, so… we can tell by your measurements that you are approximately 10 weeks along, which puts you in the tail end of your first trimester which ends at 12 weeks. Everything looks good, the baby seems to be formed appropriately to their size. I will write prescription for some prenatal vitamins, with your diet of prison food, it's important that you take these vitamins daily to help keep the baby strong and healthy" Boomer nodded at all the information as the doctor wiped the remainder of the lubricant from the woman's slightly showing stomach before motioning for her that she could pull down her shirt and sit up.

"So before we wrap things up, is there any questions you have?" upon seeing the lost look on Boomer's face. The doctor took pity and grabbed a spare copy of 'what to expect when your expecting' from her desk drawer, handing it to Boomer and telling her to read it, then read it again, and then study it further with Maxi.

Boomer ran her fingers longingly over the books slightly battered cover and with a nod and a smile she thanked the doctor and rose. Officer Stewart held out his hand to take the items, before they could enter the prison they would need to be inspected for things like drugs, money, weapons and notes. Realizing it would be pointless to argue about the topic, Boomer handed them over, smiled her thanks to the doc and led Officer Stewart towards the transport van.

"Of course we would love to come.. in fact your father and I would like to pay for your engagement party Bridget, if you would allow us too, we paid for both of the boys engagements" Sally Westfall hugged her daughter and inspected the ring.

"Mum you don't need to do that, Frankie and I can afford the party" Bridget claimed, returning to Frankie's side an sitting at the opposite end of the couch out of Frankie's reach, much to the brunettes amusement.

"Bridget dear, we know you and Frankie are both doing very well for yourselves, but that is not the point, we would like to do this for you both, like we did for your brothers, please say you will let us do this for you" Sally pleaded. Bridget glanced to Frankie who just shrugged, granting Bridget the support in whatever decision she made.

"Ok well thank you, I guess. We would appreciate that… we have a wedding to pay for too so the help would come in handy" Bridget smiled, she couldn't help the grin that exploded on her face as her Mum practically leaped across the room and hugged her tightly, pulling Frankie into the embrace.

"Now tell me Frankie love, will we get to meet your parents at the party?" Sally asked as she perched on the table opposite the two women, holding one of each of their hands in her own.

"Mum…" Bridget started but was shocked when Frankie cut her off.

"My mother passed away several years ago, and I am not close to my father, I will of course invite him, and my little sister, but I'm not sure whether he will come" Frankie smiled at her soon to be mother in law.

"Oh I'm sorry to hear that Sweetheart" Sally said with a squeeze of her hand.

"Please don't be. The world is a far better place without my mother in it, and up until a year ago I had no contact at all with my father, so the progress we have made is good" Frankie offered, Sally's thumb rubbing softly over her hand as she watched her with no trace of judgment, just empathy.

"I'm glad that your father is making the effort to be in your life" Sally smiled.

"Me too, I was always close to my dad, it broke my heart when he left. I mean I understand why he did, my Mum was toxic and he needed to be away from her so that she didn't completely destroy his life, but it broke my heart, I was angry for him for many years, there is a tiny part of me that still is, but every time I see him and spend time with him that anger diminishes a little bit more" Frankie admitted, appreciating Sally's knowing nod.

"You should be proud of all you have achieved without having two parents behind you to support and guide you" Sally smiled, knowing that the compliment would mean a lot to the young woman that had stolen her daughter's heart.

"They may not have been around, but I learnt a lot from them that I am thankful for. My dad taught me that no matter what the consequences are, you can't stay in a toxic environment, you need to get out. And that you can move on with life and be happy again"

"and your mum?" Sally asked when Frankie trailed off, her eyes darkening slightly as she got lost in her thoughts.

"My mum taught me what pain and hatred is, she taught me that some people are just cruel for cruel sake, that true evil does exist in the world, she taught me how to cover up burns and bruises so nobody would see them, how to stitch a wound so you didn't need to go to the hospital where they would ask too many questions, she taught me that some people are just violent monsters and nothing you can do or say will change that. But mostly she taught me what kind of person or mother I didn't want to be, she taught me everything in the book about bad parenting and for that I am grateful, because if Gidge and I are lucky enough to bring a child into this world, I know he or she will be safe and happy, I know they will never have to fake being asleep in hope that she wouldn't be beaten, I know they will never cower under the bed, scared for her little life, I know she will never experience the pain of having a cigarette extinguished on her body, or the feel of a wooden handle of a broom or mop against her back, legs or stomach, the feel of a leather belt against her backside, the sting of a slap from someone who is only meant to love her... and the only broken bones she… or he… will ever gain will be from living life and making memories like a normal child should" Frankie felt Bridget's arms wrap around her shoulders and pull her into a loving embrace, both of Sally's hands now soothed her, but she refused to cry, she had shed too many tears over her so called mother, no more. The room was silent, not awkward nor tense silence… a comfortable, respectful silence.

"I'm proud of you Frankie, to overcome everything that you have, to go through so much pain and torment, both at the hands of your parents and what you must have gone through in Wentworth, and to come out on the other side and be able to recognize that you deserve a better life, and to actually start working towards it, you're a strong woman, and a role model to all of us about what's achievable if your prepared to try... I have never been prouder to be inviting someone into our family" Sally soothed as she watched the young woman struggle to control her breathing as she tried to not let the tears fall. She could see from the way that Bridget was clinging onto her, the expression in her daughters blue eyes, that at least some of what Frankie had said was new information to her.

"Thanks" Frankie muttered softly, the emotion evident in her cracking voice.

"She's right honey, you're so strong and I'm so proud of you, and one day you're going to make an amazing mother, and between us both, our child will never feel anything but safe, happy and loved" Bridget smiled softly as she placed a tender kiss against Frankie's temple.

"Right, I think it's time for a glass of wine each, I will be back in a few moments" Sally announced, sensing that the two women needed a few moments of privacy. She stood up and excused herself into the kitchen to grab three glasses and a bottle of white from the fridge, she paused in the doorway as she returned, the scene before her pulling on her heart strings as she watched her daughter cradling her fiancés face in her hands, whispering support and love to the brunette, she couldn't help but smile at the sight, Bridget's sexuality had never been a concern or problem for Sally, she loved her eldest child, and was proud of the work that she did and all that she had achieved in her professional life, but she had always felt that personally, Bridget pulled back and didn't allow herself to love, she worried that it was a result of her father's disapproval to her life 'choices' but as she stood watching the tender intimacy that flowed between the two women on her couch, she knew that Bridget was finally allowing herself to love and be loved, she was done hiding her relationships and the part of her which Derek disapproved of, and she couldn't be prouder of her eldest child.

"So I was thinking" Sally announced as she entered the room, smiling again when she saw Bridget place a gentle kiss on Frankie's lips, then her hands were clutching to one of Frankie's as she relaxed into the chair, no longer putting any physical distance between them. "Maybe next weekend if you are both free, we could get the boys over and have a nice family meal, maybe a barbeque out in the yard and make a day of it, I think it's time Frankie was introduced to the rest of her new family" Sally smiled, knowing her words would be clear that Frankie was now considered her family.

"We are free... what do you think Frankie... do you want to meet the others?" Bridget grinned as Frankie nodded nervously.

"Frankie Doyle, all shy... who would have thought" Bridget grinned, unused to seeing this side of her partner.

"Piss off" Frankie grinned, before throwing an apologetic smile for her language to Bridget's mother who just laughed as she poured the wine.

"Excellent, well I will call the boys tonight and organize it, just be here for 10am ok? And bring your swimmers incase it's a nice day and we can get some use out of the pool" Sally suggested, relaxing back in her armchair. Both women nodded as they grabbed their glasses and took a much needed sip of the alcohol.

"So... please don't think me too interfering... but after Frankie's visit, I anticipated the arrival of you both with this news, and bought a few magazines in for us to have a flick through, have either of you thought about any details of the wedding, where you want it to be? What time of year? That kind of thing?" Sally asked as she grabbed a heavy pile of magazines from the coffee table drawer and placed them on top of the table, laughing as Bridget rolled her eyes at her.

"You ok babe?" Bridget asked when they finally arrived home later that night. Frankie had been silent on the drive home and Bridget had been content to just hold her hand and drive one handed, glad that her Porsche was an automatic. She could tell that Frankie was nearing being mentally drained, and having the hours drive to just process her thoughts, was probably the best thing that she could offer.

"Yeah... I just feel tired" Frankie dropped herself unceremoniously on the couch.

"Yeah I'm not surprised, you know I'm really proud of you, that's the first time I have ever heard you talk about your mother, it must have taken a lot out of you" Bridget dropped onto the couch next to Frankie and pulled the younger woman so that she was laid with her head in Bridget's lap looking up at her, her feet hanging off the arms. Frankie closed her eyes in contentment when she felt Bridget's fingers begin to play with her hair, every now and then they brushed against her scalp.

"You know... if you did this in our sessions, I would have opened up a lot quicker" Bridget could see the smile tugging on Frankie's lips despite the woman's current mental anguish.

"Yeah, well I'm pretty sure there are a lot of things I could have done to get you to open up quicker" Bridget couldn't stop the smirk from forming, as she watched Frankie's brown eyes open up, a mix of amusement and desire filling them.

"I tried, I really tried... but you seem to be immune to me" Frankie grinned, raising her arm so that she could run her fingers over Bridget's cheek, her fingers finally resting on Bridget's jaw and lovingly scratching in the way that Bridget loved, she watched as Bridget's blue eyes flickered shut at the feeling.

"I'm definitely not immune to you... in fact I think I'm the exact opposite, addicted and hooked on you" Bridget grinned eventually.

"Me too... you know, sometimes it takes me back just how much I feel for you. For a long time I swear I was incapable of love, I never thought I would ever be in a relationship that lasted more than a few weeks and revolved around anything other than just fucking" Frankie admitted almost shyly, definitely not the usual tone when Frankie Doyle spoke about anything sex related.

"I know baby, but your very much capable of loving, and you do an amazing job of it, you make me feel loved all the time, you make me feel special, important, needed and most of all desired. You're an amazing partner and I count myself lucky every day that I wake up in your arms" Bridget cooed.

"It's not hard to love you Gidge... have you looked in the mirror lately, your gorgeous, inside and out" Frankie moved her hand round to Bridget's neck and pulled her down to meet her in the middle for a quick kiss before resting her head back in the blonde's lap, nudging her to get her to restart playing with her hair causing Bridget to laugh softly.

"You ok about meeting the rest of the family?" Bridget asked after a few moments of silence, spent watching Frankie lay in contentment.

"Yeah of course, as long as your comfortable with it"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Bridget asked, her brow furrowing in frustration, Frankie opened her eyes and couldn't help smiling at how adorable she looked.

"Babe, I know they say love is blind, but surely you haven't forgotten that I'm an ex con, released from jail from her aggravated assault charges after losing her shit and throwing a pain of hot oil in some jackasses face... I'm not exactly meet the family material, are you sure you want me around your family, your nieces?" It was Frankie's turn to frown.

"Sweetheart, stop being so hard on yourself. You said it right, 'ex con' … you did your time for your crime and you are not the same person anymore... I don't worry that we are going to have some huge argument and your going to blow up and hurt me… I really don't worry that your going to get pissed off with anyone a hurt them.. It's just not who you are anymore" Bridget soothed

"You know, you really should consider being a psych" Frankie grinned cheekily.

"Perhaps… but then I would have to quit my other job" Bridget smirked.

"What other job?"

"Sex slave for the famous Frankie Doyle" Bridget wiggled her eyebrows causing Frankie to guffaw.

"Frankie… I didn't know I had an appointment with my hot lawyer" Bea's grin turned into a laugh when she saw the brunette falter.

"What's up Doyle?" Bea smirked.

"Hot?" Frankie asked, grabbing a chair with a bemused smile.

"Yeah you're right, appointment with my… meh lawyer" Bea laughed.

"I will stick with the hot lawyer thanks… what's got you all flirty and happy? I'm not complaining, it's taken me a long time to get you to admit you want me" Frankie flashed her trademark smile.

"I'm just in a good place… obviously I mean mentally" Bea laughed as she motioned to her surroundings.

"I'm glad to hear it, and the investigations are going well, we almost have more answers than questions for the first time" Frankie smiled as she picked at her fingers.

"You're doing an amazing job Frankie and I trust you completely and if anyone can do this, it's you… but cut the bull, you didn't come here to talk about the case did you, so what's going on?" Bea smirked as Frankie rolled her eyes.

"Can't a girl just visit her best friend without an ulterior motive?" Frankie flipped her middle finger at the older woman who was smirking knowingly.

"They can, but that's not why you're here today" Bea raised her eyebrow to prompt Frankie to spit it out.

"Bridget wants me to meet her family" Frankie was inspecting the room intently, looking anywhere but at her friend.

"I thought you already met her parents" Bea asked confused.

"I have, but I haven't met her two brothers… their wives… their kids… you know the family who aren't the parents" Frankie gulped.

Bea watched Frankie for a few moments, she was still inspecting the room intently, her hands were resting on the table, her fingers fidgeting nervously whilst the tapping of her foot was setting a constant twitch to her whole body.

"Frankie…" Frankie turned to her friend, barely meeting her eye but could clearly see the look in Bea's eyes that told her to cut the crap.

"Alright, alright… look I'm nervous as hell, in three days I have to meet Bridget's brothers, you know like the two people she grew up with, her two first friends, the women they are married to… Bridget's niece's… these are the people who can change our relationship with one word!" Frankie threw her hands in the air before resting her elbows on the table and throwing her head into her palms.

"Frankie… let me explain something to you as you grew up as an only child. Brothers and sisters, in fact siblings in general… they aren't a kids first friends, they are a kids worst nightmare. They annoy you… they borrow your things and break it or lose it… they harass you and embarrass you in front of your friends… they do something wrong and frame you for it so you get grounded… they pin you down and beat you up… they change the TV and the radio when your watching or listening to it… they are the worst people in the world" Bea rolled her eyes as Frankie leant forward, hanging off her every word.

"so your saying they are probably arseholes?" Frankie asked with an air of confusion.

"No Frankie" Bea laughed. "they are probably really nice people. You just have a really crazy idea of what siblings are. You know, Bridget would never put you in a position where you were surrounded by people who would negatively judge you… is this the first time you have met a person's family?" Bea reached across and took Frankie's hands in her own, mainly to offer her support, but also in an attempt to settle her fidgeting.

"I don't want them to hate me" Frankie admitted. "and no… I've never really had anyone who was important enough to do the whole family thing"

"Frankie… they won't hate you, they will see how much Bridge loves you, they will see how happy you make her, and they will see how funny, smart and kind you are… if you just be yourself. Just for fuck's sake, don't hit on your future sister in laws! Even if they are hot… or you get an opportunity to make the best innuendo, be Frankie… just don't be flirty Frankie" Bea grinned, glad to be able to help Frankie out.

"Thanks Bea… so you have siblings?" Frankie asked settling back in her chair, feeling much more relaxed.

"A brother and two sisters. I lost touch with them all" Bea admitted sadly.

"Ok… you made me fess up, now it's your turn" Frankie leaned forwards again, this time taking Bea's hands in hers.

"When I first met Harry… to begin with it was fine, they seemed to like him, then they started telling me these things about Harry, trying to turn me against him… and I couldn't believe it, I wouldn't believe it… long story short, he alienated me from them all, then he forced me to stay away from them… once there was a huge divide the bruises started and then the blackmail started, you know… if you show up with those bruises they won't understand that it was an accident… or a mistake… and then it was… if they see the bruises I will have to give you more and… well you can see what I mean" Bea frowned as she pulled up all the memories she had so far.

"When was the last time you had contact with them?" Frankie asked, her heart breaking at the torture her friend had experienced at the hands of her bastard ex husband.

"my mum wrote to me just after I arrived here… I was so embarrassed and ashamed of everything that I ignored the letters. I kept them for a while, figured I would read them one day… then Debbie died, and I decided that Harry was right the whole time, I didn't deserve them in my life… I was bad news… a fuck up… a disease, they are better off without me" Bea shrugged at the bluntness of her admission.

"you know the only one that was a disease was Harry. And you have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed of" Frankie could tell by Bea's reaction that Harry's violence was deep rooted and despite her bravado she was clearly still affected by it.

"Well thank God the disease is dead" Bea grinned comically, causing Frankie to roll her eyes at Bea's walls coming back up.

"Ladies and gentleman, time… is…. Up, if you could please make your way to the exit, thank you" a tubby guard called that Frankie didn't know.

"Let me know how it goes?" Bea asked with a smirk.

"of course, I'll come see you on Monday for an update on everything… bring blondie along, I miss making fun of how you blush around her" Frankie waved as she exited.

Bea went through the searches after visits before making her way to go and find 'blondie' she couldn't shrug the smile on her face, despite having just spoken about her family for the first time in decades.

"Oh hey… Miss Westfall, do you mind if I just borrow you for two seconds to ask a question?" Bea called as she saw Bridget near the admissions offices in the middle of a conversation with Officer Miles. Bridget motioned for her to give her a few seconds, said a few more things to Linda, and then made her way over to Bea as they slowly started walking towards H1.

"Everything ok?" Bridget asked, not really used to the former top dog accosting her in the hallways.

"Oh I'm fine, I just wanted to ask you about some advice for a friend" Bea smirked.

"Well you know I can't discuss other clients with you, but if you give me a name, I would be happy to organize a session with them" Bridget smiled through her usual speil.

"How about I tell you the problem, and you can advise me on the best way to help my friend… so you see I have this friend, someone I love very dearly… like a sister… yet a sister that thinks it's ok to hit on me everytime we see each other, anyway.. so this weekend she is meeting her partners brothers and their families for the first time and well… she has never done the whole 'meet the family' thing and she grew up as an only child in a fucked up home… and it's safe to say she has worked herself up into a bit of a state about it and im a bit worried that despite my briliant motovational speech, she will spend the next 3 days stressing herself out again" Bea glanced sideways, a playful smile gracing her lips as she inspected Bridgets reaction.

"Well then my professional advice as her partner would be to thank you for letting me know and thank you for giving her a pep talk… she has met my parents, what is she so worried about?" Bridget asked completely confused.

"that they won't like her, that they won't approve of her, that they won't think she is worthy of you, that they will tell you that you can do better and that you will listen because they are your blood family… do you want me go keep going?" Bea laughed softly.

"I swear, sometimes she is so thick headed" Bridget muttered to herself, raising a laugh from Bea.

"She is just feeling like she's out of her depth… but this conversation never happened" Bea winked cheekily before picking up her pace towards the unit.

"Thanks Bea" Bridget called after her.

"What for?" Bea threw over her shoulder.


	23. Chapter 23

"God I love this car" Frankie mused as the black Porsche pulled to a stop in Bridget's family home driveway in between two cars she didn't recognize, one a BMW SUV and the other an Audi hatchback.

They exited the car at the same time, not bothering to raise the roof as it was a cloudless day and the car was parked behind the secure gates of the property.

Bridget had broached the topic of Frankie's nerves several times over the last three days, each time choosing her words wisely so not to give away Bea's heads up. Each time Frankie expelled the suggestion with her carefully honed bravado.

Bridget led Frankie to the side entrance which led to the back garden where she could hear her family talking and laughing. In her left hand was a cake that Frankie had spent the morning making, surprising Bridget with the bangs and clatters from the kitchen at 5am, Bridget went out to see what the noise was, and when she found the normally serene ex chef in a state of chaos, she went back to bed, leaving Frankie to digest her thoughts in peace, she had offered her plenty of opportunities to open up, and Frankie knew she could always approach her, so she decided that the younger woman just needed to process in her own way. her right hand clasped Frankie's hand, giving it a squeeze in a silent act of support.

"Bridgy" a tall man who looked like a much younger version of Derek jumped up and hugged his sister, lifting her feet an inch from the ground.

"Put me down you idiot, and for gods sake stop with the calling me Bridgy, it wasn't cute when I was 10 and it still isn't" Bridget laughed at the age old joke between her and her baby brother.

"Good to see your still alive" he joked as he kissed her softly on the temple.

"Piss off, some of us have to actually work, we can't all pay people to do our work for us while we play golf every day" Bridget grinned, grabbing Frankie's hand again.

"Ahh and you must be the Frankie that Bridget won't shut up about" the tall man grinned, pulling Frankie into a slightly awkward hug.

"Sam this is Frankie… Frankie meet my youngest brother Sam.. I will let you discover for yourself how much of a pain in the arse he is… you two will get on" Bridget laughed as her brother pouted and flicked his finger at her.

"Oh Bridget and Frankie are here… Sam let them come through and stop pestering your sister" Sally called and several people laughed before they materialized from the side of the house, each looking straight to Frankie to get their first look at the first person Bridget had ever introduced to the family.

"Hey guys… subtle as always" Bridget grinned as she shoved her youngest brother aside playfully and dragged Frankie towards the group.

"Everyone meet Frankie… Frankie this is everyone" Bridget squeezed her partners hand, noticing how pale she was as the younger woman raised a trembling hand to wave to all of the people staring at her.

"Come on through Frankie love, I'll grab you a beer" Sally said, also noticing the paleness and bashfulness of the newest member of her family.

"Well you have already met my youngest baby Samuel… this is my oldest son John" Sally pointed towards a man who looked like an older, more masculine version of Bridget.

"This is Lily, Sam's wife and Beth, John's wife" Sally pointed towards first a short woman with long black hair, she looked almost latino with her olive skin and dark features, and then to a slightly older woman who wore her strawberry blonde hair in a short but stylish do, they both grinned and waved towards her.

With introductIon out of the way, Bridget pressed forward, hugging each of them and placing affectionate kisses to their cheeks. Her grin spreading as each of them moved on to greet Frankie with the same sentiment.

"Derek" Sally called as they moved towards the table. "the girls are here, come and say hello"

"Aunty Gidge you're here!" echoed as five girls ran from their grandfather towards their Aunt, wrapping her in hugs and each telling her things over the voices of the others as they fought to fill her in on the gossip of games they had recently won, awards they had received and things that they had done lately.

Bridget glanced to Frankie and saw the smirk on her face. "Looks like your not the first person to call me that" she laughed knowingly.

"Aunty Gidge, is this your girlfriend?" the eldest of the group asked, the young girl of about 10 years called the word girlfriend like she was in the school playground.

"Girls this is Frankie… and no she isn't my girlfriend she's my fiance" Bridget smiled proudly as her mother took the cake box from her hands.

"Do you know what that means Charlie?" Sam asked his eldest daughter.

"That Aunty Gidge is getting married?" the girl said matter of factly, throwing her long dark hair over her shoulder.

"No it means Frankie is crazy coz she is willing to put up with Aunty Gidge's smelly farts" Sam laughed until he received a rather hard punch to his chest, he couldn't help the whimper that escaped his lips as he began rubbing his tender pec. The girls laughed before running off to resume whatever game it was that they were playing.

"You're such an ass… and my fart's do not smell Dickhead" Bridget growled once the girls were out of hearing distance.

"Children behave, Frankie doesn't need to see you two winding each other up" Derek warned as he handed Frankie a beer with a polite nod before he hugged Bridget.

"Hey Dad" Bridget smiled into the embrace.

"Hi Sweetheart, your looking well" and with that, he was gone as he pulled up a seat at the table and everyone followed him.

"Ok you need to show us the ring now, I can tell Mum is about to pee her pants in excitement" Sam giggled before receiving a slap to the back of his head from his mother.

Bridget excitedly raised her hand, showing them all the stolen family heirloom that Frankie had managed to track down and retrieve.

"I still can't believe you managed to find this" John grinned. "You have no idea how hard we tried to find this thing before we gave it up for lost forever"

"Well it wasn't the easiest of tasks" Frankie stated, finally breaking her silence, she couldn't believe how nervous she was, even Bridget's hand which sat soothingly on her thigh did nothing to ground her and help push away the shyness she felt as she watched all the new people that had just been brought into her life.

"I'm impressed, if you ever want work as a PI let me know, I know a lot of people who would love to get you on their staff" John smiled warmly, hoping to coax the woman from her shell so that he could get to know the real person that had stolen his big sisters heart.

"Is that what you do? Private investigation" Frankie asked, for the first time realizing just how little she knew about the most important people in Bridget's life.

"No, I'm actually a cop... but I doubt if I offered you a job you would be interested... don't hold my job against me though" John's warm smile told Frankie that he wasn't judging her or making jokes at her expense. She couldn't help but notice the difference between the two brothers, the younger was tall and looked like Derek but was full of laughter and playfulness, whereas John was a male version of Bridget, shorter, more reserved, but she could tell already that behind his more serious and mature personality, he had all of Bridget's kindness and heart, his humor was more reserved, just like Bridget... she couldn't help but muse that if she ever found herself in an alternative universe, John would be the perfect man for her. Yet as she glanced sideways to her partner, she knew that even in that alternative universe, when John brought her home to meet his family, she would have met Bridget and fallen head over heels for her.

"Hah, nah I think I have had enough experience with the police to last a lifetime thanks" Frankie finally smirked as she felt herself relax.

"I can only imagine, there are a lot of bastard cop's out there, it takes a lot trying to weed out the bad ones so that they aren't in a position to abuse their power"John said, smiling when he realized how easily he could discuss the topic with the younger woman, and how her eyes held no sign of distrust or hatred that he worked on what could only be described as the opposite side considering Frankie's past.

"You know, Frankie actually just passed her bars a few weeks ago, she's a fully qualified lawyer now" Bridget said proudly, loving that her brother was taking the time to inform Frankie of his position in the community without any form of judgment.

"No shit... that's fantastic, do you mind me asking how you got into law? I mean, if you don't mind me mentioning, I saw how everything played out on that show, Beth here is addicted to cooking shows and forces me to watch them with her, you were an incredible cook by the way, we were rooting for you to win" John hoped he hadn't said the wrong thing, but he wanted to get the elephant out of the room so that he could see Frankie relax a bit.

"I got into it inside, an old friend talked me into looking at some studies and when I looked over the brochures, it was law that spoke out to me the most. I love cooking, but I'm a realist and I knew that I would never work as a chef again, and so I started studying it, never really thinking that I would be out here putting that education to use... I'm glad I did it though, I never saw myself as an office girl, in fact the thought of sitting at a desk working on a computer would have repulsed me several years back, but I love the work, no day is boring, I always have plenty of cases to stick my teeth into, its great work" Frankie admitted.

"That's awesome, what firm are you working at?" Lily asked with genuine interest.

"I managed to get a job at Legal Aid after my release, I started out as a paralegal but after passing my bars they gave me a promotion to being a lawyer" Frankie smiled towards the attractive brunette sat opposite her.

"Oh so you will know Jane Stevens then?"

"Jane's my boss" Frankie answered nervously, wondering how the other woman knew Jane.

"Jane and I went to uni together, we actually lived in student accommodation together, she was a bit older than me but we hit it off straight away, I haven't seen her for months, how is she?" Frankie eased into the conversation with the other woman, instantly recognizing that she was talking with a fellow lawyer, and they happily discussed all the people that the knew in common.

"Frankie seems to be settling in ok" Sam commented as he and Bridget stood in the kitchen preparing the salad, Bridget had left Frankie and Lily to their conversation, Beth and John listening with admiration as the two women chatted easily like old friends about various cases they had worked and cases that were upcoming in both of their firms.

"Yeah, remind me to kiss Lily for sparking that conversation, for a second I thought she was going to sit silently the whole day, which you will soon learn is definitely not Frankie" Bridget grinned as she watched her partner through the window.

"She seems really nice, not at all what I expected" Sam admitted.

"What did you expect?" Bridget asked, he eyebrow raising in a warning that she wouldn't be amused if he started bagging the woman she loved.

"Well this is you, so I was expecting some wild child, especially when we found out it was Frankie Doyle you had decided to make an honest woman of... Jesus Bridgy, dad must have flipped when he found out" Sam laughed.

"He wasn't best pleased, but I think Frankie won him over, despite him still playing ignorant to everything" Bridget frowned, her dad had been more silent than Frankie had the entire time, only speaking when spoken to, and even then his answers were short and to the point.

"It's just Dad you know that Bridgy... he could never understand the whole gay thing, he loves you, he probably loves you more than John and me, you're his blue eyed little girl, but he's not wired to understand these things" Sam wrapped his arm around his sister and pulled her into a quick hug.

"I know, I just wish he would finally accept that this is who I am, surely he can see how happy I am, how happy Frankie makes me, I've honestly never felt like this before Sam, Frankie is just... I know it sounds cliche, but Frankie is literally every single thing that I have ever been looking for, and I don't just mean that she's gorgeous... she is funny, and smart, and sensitive, if you had known her before she got out of Wentworth, you would know how hilarious it is for me to be describing her that way, but that's what makes me love her even more, when she was inside especially she had this wild side, it's like she had no fear, and she was always getting herself into trouble, and running her mouth off, and flirting with anything with legs. She is the hot bad news that I always fantasized about, but at the same time is this sweet, innocent and beautiful person that just makes me fall for her every day" Bridget confessed.

"Sounds like the real deal sis... it must be for you to be bringing her home to meet us all" Sam grinned.

"Yeah well, you know I thought considering I was marrying her, it was only right for you to meet her before the wedding" Bridget laughed, her seriousness dissipating as the playful banter returned. She glanced outside a few moments later, hoping to catch a glimpse at the woman she loved, but found her missing.

"Frankie, walk with me" Derek practically demanded as he returned from the table, interrupting the conversation, and not particularly caring. Frankie's voice caught in her throat as she nodded and stood up, not failing to notice the nervous glances that passed between Bridget's middle brother and two sister-in-laws.

Frankie followed as the older man walked towards the rear of the large garden slowly, clearly trying to formulate his speech as he walked.

"I want to know, what your plan is for Bridget?" Derek finally stated as he paused, turning to glance at the young woman so that he could read her body language as she answered. He could see the young woman squirming under his gaze.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand the question" Frankie finally found her voice as she tried to force herself to keep eye contact with the imposing man, she couldn't believe the effect he had on her, for fucks sake she had dealt with Jacs Holt, Bea Smith, The Freak... yet here she was feeling like a scolded child on the receiving end of a bollocking from her parent, and that was the moment she felt her stomach lurch and the panic start to rise within her. The only experience she had with a parent speaking to her like this, always ended in bruises, scars and broken bones.

"I know you plan to marry her, that's not what I'm asking" He softened slightly as he watched the young brunette pale, she took a step back subconsciously, her breathing had picked up and he couldn't fail to notice her palms closing into two tight fists as she prepared to defend herself, he couldn't imagine what she thought was going to happen right now, that she felt the need to prepare herself for a physical altercation.

"Sir, I love Bridget, I really do. She has saved my life in more ways than I care to recount, I owe her everything" Frankie gasped, she could feel her throat constricting as the fear built up inside her.

"Is that what this is... are you trying to repay her for everything she has done for you? Do you feel obliged to be with her as some kind of repayment?" He asked, carefully studying each and every one of the woman's movements. He moved towards the fence and lent his forearms against it, hoping that if he relaxed his posture, the woman would settle down a little, it was obvious she was getting herself worked up and flustered.

"What... no of course not. I owe Bridget my life... but I'm not... prostituting myself out to her, if that's what you think" Frankie relaxed a little at the distance the older man put between them, the fact that he had turned his side to her showed her that she shouldn't be expecting an attack from him.

"That's good to know... so this thing between the two of you, it's real?" Derek asked, turning his face towards the woman and motioning for Frankie to come closer so that they could speak properly.

"I can't speak for Bridget, the only person who can tell you how she feels is her, but for me... Sir, I love her, truly. She has made me feel things that I never thought possible, or even deserving of. When I said I owed her my life, I meant it. But that's not the only reason that I love her. You know, when I was inside I was lost, I was honestly a mess, I had gone from being this angry little girl, to being this angry adult, I was angry with everything and everyone, but mostly I was angry with the world for all of the bad things it had thrown at me. I was on a path to nowhere, I went through the motions, you know starting my studies, agreeing to look into parole, but I never thought that I would get out of there, I didn't think I deserved to get out of there, and honestly sir, the person that I was in there, I didn't deserve to get out" Frankie could feel tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked out at the forest on the boundary of Bridget's family home, she could feel Derek's stare, examining her every move and word, but she couldn't face looking at him and seeing the disgust in his eyes.

"When Bridget walked into my life, she saw through all of my bravado, she wouldn't put up with my crap and for the first time in my life, instead of someone being intimidated by me, and backing away as they wrote me off... she stood her ground, challenged me, dared me almost to give her my worst. At every single opportunity she challenged me to believe in myself, she challenged me to be a better person, challenged me to drop the act and start being the person that I was deep down. And for that I owe her everything. But sir, I am in a relationship with Bridget because I love her, because I have never met someone who is so beautiful inside and out, she has the biggest heart, she is so much stronger than she realizes and she is such a good person. I mean, on the inside there is this unspoken law that the screws and the cons don't get on, the cons hate the screws and give them as much grief as they can, there is no respect there, there is no like there, the screws are against us and we have to make their lives a living hell without getting ourselves into trouble, that's just how it is inside. But you know, not one woman has ever said anything bad about Gidge, every one respects her, everyone can see that she just wants to help and has no agenda... I have seen many officers come and go, and none of them have had the ability to get every single woman on side, she is literally loved by a prison full of women, and respected, she is so good at her job and she is changing lives in there, making the women better people, and I don't actually think he realizes just how much of an impact she is having, I don't think she realizes how unique she is, she just see's it that she's doing her job and that's that... but she goes out of her way for people, and they love her for it, I love her for it" Frankie trailed off, nervous that she had said too much.

"Very well, but let me make this perfectly clear, Bridget is my daughter, my baby... my little girl. If you hurt her, ever hurt her, that won't be forgiven, and I don't care how many prison buddies you have on your side, I will made sure you feel every single tear you make her cry, am I understood?" Derek said, finally turning to face Frankie who had paled again at the threat from a parental figure.

"Jesus what do you think he's saying to her" Sam asked to his family, as they all sat glued to the scene unfolding in front of them.

"I should go over there" Bridget announced for the thousandth time, much to the amusement of her brothers.

"Let Frankie deal with it, she's gotta learn to stand up to the old man" John rubbed her shoulder, he could see how concerned Bridget was, but Frankie had to cement her place in this family with their father, and the only way to do that was with her own two feet and not with Bridget jumping to her defense.

"Holy shit, look at that" Beth grinned as Derek pulled the former inmate into an awkward hug, rubbing his hand over Frankie's back.

"Shit, this must be serious" Lily laughed softly, hoping to ease Bridget's nerves. They watched as Derek pulled away from the embrace, patting Frankie's shoulder before saying something, Frankie nodded as Derek walked off, walking back towards his family and leaving Frankie alone, Bridget jumped to her feet to run towards her fiance to find out what was going on.

"Bridgy, give her a few minutes ok, she just needs to compose herself and then she will be back over" The whole group stopped in shocked silence and looked towards the head of the family, it had been many years since any of them had heard him use the pet name for his daughter.

"Is she ok? What did you say to her?" Bridget asked, finally allowing the shock to diminish.

"We just had a little chat about a few things, don't worry dear, I didn't scare her off" Bridget couldn't believe it when she saw the playful smile erupt on her father's face.

"Aunty Gidge over here" one of her nieces called later that night, they had all eaten together, chatting easily and not mentioning the conversation between Frankie and Derek, although the two seemed to converse easily, Frankie often saying something that got Derek nodding in approval. After dinner they had all cleaned up together, and found themselves playing in and lounging around the pool.

Bridget had decided to go for a swim and play with her nieces, partially to give Frankie the opportunity to talk to her family as an independent person, she wanted her family to get to know Frankie for who she was, not just as Frankie her partner, and it was important to her that they all could see that her and Frankie were equals in everything, including intellect. And as she kept sneaking quick glances towards the 'adults table' her heart strings pulled as the most important grown ups in her life chatted easily and laughed amongst themselves

Bridget returned her attention to her nieces who were taking it in turns to jump into the pool, electing Bridget as the judge and ordering her to score them.

"Very good Izzy, 9.5" Bridget grinned at her youngest niece, a five year old who followed her sisters and cousins around like a little lamb, copying everything they did, but where the older kids threw in a few dives, some bombs and even a couple of flips, the littlest of her nieces simply jumped into the pool and tried not to drown in doing so, the little girl swam up to her and wrapped her arms around Bridget's neck and her legs around her waist to support herself, tired from the long swim a few meters to her aunty.

"Do you think your friend would like to come and play?" The little girl asked shyly as she glanced over her shoulder towards the new woman that she had just met. Izzy had demanded to sit next to Frankie at lunch, spending her time staring and smiling at the stranger, causing much amusement to the rest of the group as they joked about how Frankie had a number one fan.

"Frankie... why don't you ask her? I'm sure if you asked nicely she would come and play" Bridget grinned softly, her heart warming at the conversation, she giggled as she saw her niece shrug shyly and shake her head.

"Do you want me to ask her?" Bridget grinned already knowing the answer, laughing when the little girl beamed at her and nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Ok, well why don't you go and tell her that I need to speak to her and tell her to come over here, and I will convince her to come play... deal?" Bridget asked, trying to nudge the little brunette girl into being brave and going to speak to Frankie herself. Bridget lifted the little girl up onto the deck surrounding the pool and watched as she waddled towards Frankie, poking her in the leg to get her attention, Frankie turned to her with a smile and a questioning glance when the little girl just pointed to Bridget. Frankie followed the gaze and saw Bridget smiling at her, motioning with her head for her to go speak to her, as Frankie stood up, she was surprised to find the little girl take her hand and lead her towards her aunty.

"Izzy wants to know if you'll come and play" Bridget beamed when her beautiful brunette finally reached her, Frankie glanced down and the little girl who was smiling shyly at her.

"Im not really a great swimmer Gidge" Frankie admitted, the little girl giggling when she heard the name that only she and her cousins used for their aunty.

"It's not deep Frankie, look I can stand up in it" Bridget stood up, her black bikini clad breasts rising from the water, she couldn't help but smirk as Frankie's jaw almost dropped.

"I dunno Gidge" Frankie finally muttered. "I haven't swam in like 20 years" Frankie admitted shyly, she watched in disbelief as Bridget pulled herself up the edge of the pool and stood up next to her, water cascading down her body, she could see Frankie making a real effort to not give in and perve on her.

"It's easy, watch" Bridget grinned as she picked Izzy up who laughed loudly before grabbing her nose with her little hand and waiting to be thrown into the pool, she surfaced with a huge shriek of laughter, which Frankie couldn't help but grin at.

"Your coming in this pool whether you like it or not" Bridget stated, a playful smirk gracing her lips.

"Don't you dare" Frankie warned, seeing the plan instantly in Bridget's eyes.

"Don't I dare, what?" Bridget asked innocently, her nieces all sat at the edge of the pool watching and giggling as Bridget stepped closer to Frankie who attempted to step back but wasn't quick enough as she felt Bridget's arms wrap around her waist, the water from her body and bikini soaking into Frankie's shorts and tee and shirt.

"Gidge your getting me wet" Frankie complained, trying not to follow through with something flirtatious and not appropriate for Bridget's nieces to hear. Frankie shrieked as Bridget easily lifted her up into her arms and walked towards the pool, Frankie was surprised to find herself lifted from the ground, never once thinking that Bridget would be strong enough to handle her weight, but the older blonde was full of surprises.

"Don't you dare" Frankie warned, loving the playful smile on Bridget's face but knowing she didn't have any spare clothes to change into.

"What do you think girls, do you think Frankie should come and have a swim with us?" Bridget asked and grinned when the five girls all cheered.

"The jury has spoken... sorry Frankie" Bridget took another step towards the pool, her feet now at the edge of the pool.

"Alright, alright, I will come for a swim, just let me get changed first... I don't want to get my clothes wet" Frankie admitted defeat, and with a smile, Bridget moved to put her down, Bridget threw Frankie a smirk and a wink before tossing her fully clothed into the pool, the girls all shrieked in laughter at their aunties antics.

Frankie surfaced from the water, spluttering and in a state of shock. She looked up at Bridget who stood with her hands on her hips, looking stunning in just her bikini and glistening skin.

"Oh you're dead!" Frankie announced, a smirk on her lips as she began wading towards Bridget, who waited till he was close enough then dived gracefully over her head and into the water behind her, the girls laughing before they began to bomb the pool again.


	24. Chapter 24

"Well, how did it go?" Bea asked on Monday morning, Frankie had scheduled an official meeting, meaning that the two women sat in a private room without worrying about any fly's on the wall.

"It was fine, a lot of fun actually, Bridget's nieces are the cutest things" Frankie swooned, then caught herself as she saw the smirk on Bea's face.

"Fuck off" She said before the older woman even had a chance to mock her. Bea raised her hands in defence, making a silent promise to herself to wait till Frankie least expected it before she started the mocking.

"So I was chatting to Lily, Bridget's sister in law, she's a lawyer too, but for some big firm... and I was chatting to her about your case, and she was filling me in on the details of how some positive PR can actually impact the outcome of the trial. She said the importance of it was to start early on in the piece, way before anyone knows of the reason your doing it, by that point it will be way too late as people will already have formed their own opinions. I couldn't help but agree, and Gidge has an old friend from Uni who writes for a newspaper, she spoke to her and asked if she would be interested in interviewing you and writing up a piece, start the ball rolling, and well she agreed to it, if you agreed to it. So what do you think? I think she wants to interview you with the outlook of what it's like returning to prison with amnesia" Frankie spluttered, trying to regain control of herself and turn the conversation away from her swooning.

"If you think it's a good idea then I will give it a go, I trust you, so if you think it's going to help, then set it up" Bea smiled warmly.

"it's funny, I knew you would say that, so she will be here after our session to start, she wanted me to fill you in on how she does things so there will be no surprises, so she will be recording the whole thing with a camera, she does this so when she comes to write the article she can make sure she documents any reactions well. She has agreed to submit the recording to me after she has finished with it, that way we may be able to use it in the case too" Frankie smiled, glad that Lily had made the suggestion to her.

H wing was a buzz when a tall ginger woman strode confidently into the unit, guided by two officers who were shouting for the inmates to calm down and keep it in their pants as they cat called towards the stunning woman who was dressed immaculately.

"You must be Frankie Doyle" She grinned as she held out her hand to the woman Bridget had described to her, she couldn't believe the short brunette stood before her was Bridget's fiancé, she didn't seem Bridget's type, and she should know, she once was Bridget's type herself.

"Yep that's me, and you must be Sophia?" Frankie asked, taking the tall woman's hand in her own, challenging her gaze unintentionally.

"The one and only" Frankie couldn't help but grin, two years ago she would have seen this woman as a challenge and would be flirting crazily with her right now, trying whatever she could to get the woman into her cell, how time and love changes you.

"Let me introduce you to Bea, Bea Smith" Frankie moved the conversation along as she introduced Bea, she watched in amusement as the fire haired beauty set up her camera, and plonked herself down at the table opposite Bea to begin their interview

"It's here Allie announced, as she handed the paper to Bea who was shocked to see her face on the front cover of the leading newspaper, she glanced at the picture on the front cover, it was from after her arrest of Braydon Holt and she looked pissed, and slightly psychotic if she admitted to herself. She read the headline 'Double murder inmate confesses all in an exclusive interview' then underneath in smaller letters, it told her to turn to page 4 to read the feature on her. She glanced at the picture again, wondering why the journalist had decided to use such a confronting photo of her when she was meant to be painting a picture of what Bea was really like, or was she really like the woman she barely recognised in the photo.

It was early afternoon on Monday 17th October when I pulled up outside of Wentworth Correctional Facility for the first time, and as I sat in my car looking at the building I had yet to enter, the eight foot concrete wall that never seemed to end was topped with barbed wire, and to get past that wall, I would have to enter the solid security gate that was manned from the inside by a young officer who looked like he would arrest me and detain me in the prison if I were to even look at him the wrong way. I have been to many places around the world, chasing the latest stories, but as I took those last steps towards that gate, the building imposing in my eyeline, I have never felt so scared and nervous in my life.

Why was I here? I was asked by a contact to meet with an inmate and conduct an interview into her amnesia following an attack with another inmate, the story intrigued me and so I agreed, but what I walked into that day, was the furthest from what I expected.

I walked accompanied by a blonde officer by the name of Linda Miles, and a tall handsome officer by the name of Will Jackson towards the inmates unit, it was unusual practise to interview an inmate inside the prison, normally these things would be conducted in an interview room, but my contact had set it up for the amnesia riddled inmate to be comfortable in her surroundings. As I walked down that hall, I was shocked to hear the calls of the inmates, shouting at me like I was a piece of meat, I have never been so appalled or felt so intimidated, but the second I entered the unit of my client, I had never felt at so much ease.

Beatrice 'Bea' Smith, was sent to Wentworth Correctional Facility on 12th March 2012 after being charged with the attempted murder of her husband, Harry Smith, now deceased. She was there on remand, awaiting sentencing when her life was flipped upside down, her daughter overdosing on heroine, before she had a mental breakdown and murdered one inmate before breaking out of custody to kill a second person.

And whilst I sat opposite this woman, who was capable of two murders and at least one attempted murder, and was more than capable of murdering me if she so wished, I was shocked with the person sat before me, the anger and hate I had expected in her eyes was none existent, in fact she sat there with a shy smile on her face, welcoming me to her home and asking if she could get me a cup of tea. Being a junkie for new experiences, I of course accepted her offer, now I can cross off 'high tea in a prison' from my bucket list, the intriguing woman had returned with two cups of steaming hot tea and a variety of biscuits for me to enjoy. I'm ashamed to admit that my first reaction was that she was trying to poison me, but as I relaxed and realised that she had no reason to harm me, I took a sip of my tea and couldn't believe that of all places in the world, inside a prison was where I had found the most delicious tea.

I began by asking Smith the normal routine questions which I had formulated the night before, planning the interview to get the story that I needed from it, but what I hadn't expected was for an entirely different story to be sitting in front of me. Those who have followed my career will know already that this segment Is not written in my usual format, however, I was that moved by the story I had stumbled on, that I decided on this occasion, Bea Smith's story was worth a change.

Before her arrest, Bea Smith was a 38 year old hairdresser who worked in a salon in Collingwood, she was married, with one child, a daughter Debbie and lived in a modest house in a good area, her husband, Harry Smith, was a sales man who sold automotive parts and services to garages, earned enough money to support his family and was a much loved member of the community.

However behind closed doors of that modest house lay a monster, Harry Smith was an abusive husband. Regularly beating Bea for reasons only he dictated, if she had cooked the wrong meal, returned home from work late, didn't punish their daughter to his standards... from all sense and purposes, if she breathed in the wrong pitch, he would punish her by breaking her down mentally and physically, and upon viewing Smith's medical record, the evidence is clear, that she herself was lucky to make it out of the marriage alive.

When I asked Smith if she had in fact attempted to end her husbands life, she nodded sombrely, not at all what I was expecting, no outburst that he deserved it, no admission that she would do it all over again if she could and no pride in her eyes, in fact her eyes held nothing but sadness, and as I probed further, she admitted that she had in fact attempted to end the mans life. And after hearing what he had put her through, frankly I don't blame her, but of course that is my personal opinion and not that of the paper, so how did this meek woman in front of me end up in prison for attempted murder?

One evening, Bea's husband Harry returned home from work late, he had decided to go with some work friends to a local pub and had stumbled home highly intoxicated, Bea was nervous to admit that 'the second he walked through the door and stumbled into the wall whilst trying to remove his shoes, I just knew what was coming, he was always violent, but when he drank he took it to a whole new level, its like the more he drunk, the less restraint he would have, and I knew with a sinking feeling, that he had drunk enough that if he started hitting me, I would be leaving the house in an ambulance' As Bea spoke, I examined her face, watching for any signs that the woman was playing me with her sob story, but the sincerity in her eyes was overwhelming, she wasn't even angry as she described the beatings and the fear that she had felt on so many occasions, her eyes only expressed a deep regret for her own actions.

Harry had failed to notify Bea that he was going to be home late, 'he told me many times that he would do as he wanted, when he wanted and he had nothing to answer to me for' so it wasn't really a surprise that he had arrived home late, intoxicated. I asked Bea what it was that started the argument, and with a sad smile she admitted that she hadn't made sure to keep his dinner warm, instead she had wrongly assumed that he would want her to reheat it when he got home. Even now, four years later, this woman in front of me still hung on to the fact that it was her fault that she took the beating that night, that if she had just kept the food warm instead of deciding to reheat it, the beating wouldn't have happened, and all of the fall out from her arrest would have been avoided. And as I looked into those lost brown eyes, which held no trace of the violent woman I expected, I knew that I had to tell her story honestly and without the usual theatrics that most journalists turn to in order to get a good scoop.

I asked Bea to start from the beginning with her story, and to my great surprise, she pulled out several sheets of A1 paper, which had been taped together to form a huge map of Bea's life. I discovered that this was something she had been working on with Wentworth's in-house forensic psychologist, Bridget Westfall, who commented that 'mapping out Bea's memories has been a great help in assisting her to line up her life story as snippets of memory return' She informed me that they hold regular sessions in which they discuss Bea's memories and plot them down on the map, tracing them back to when they happened so that Bea had a functioning timeline of where each memory fit into her life, and I have to admit that it was an impressive achievement. I lost count after 20 sheets of A1 paper, and clearly the technique had been working, as Bea was able to start from the top and work her way down the timeline, recalling memories as she went and adding them to the chart.

'It amazes me how every time I look at this thing, whether to just read it or add a memory to it, something else comes back, it could be something as small as picking my daughter up for school and taking her to the park, or something massive which provides me with more detail about the person I was before the attack and my memory loss, Miss Westfall has been amazing with my recovery, I couldn't have gotten as far as I have without her help. The women here love her, she is amazing at her job and goes out of her way to help every inmate, I have never known a screw to have so much respect amongst the women" Bea admitted shyly as she first showed me the map, she even laughed softly when I suggested that Bridget Westfall should add her as a reference on her resume, not the hardened criminal that I had believed I was interviewing today, but instead a thoughtful, kind and supportive woman.

Bea pointed out to the time on her map where she was arrested and taken into custody, in big writing it read 'ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER' in a permanent marker, but underneath it in several shades of biro were notes that were added at various points in time. Glancing up I noticed that there were further notes about the events of that night that changed her life, and a sickness evaded my body as I read about the memories.

Harry had returned home and beaten Bea to barely being able to move, he had then threatened her that if she didn't pick herself up and clean herself up before their daughter got home and saw her, he would do worse than beat her. As Bea managed to get herself up, he had stood laughing at her, mocking her for how pathetic she was, then he grabbed her hair, pulling him roughly against her body, she detailed how she could feel his erection against her back and buttocks as he sneered into her ear that she was worthless and disgusting, she detailed how she feared what was coming next, knowing that it would always be worse than the beatings. Harry liked to violate Bea in more ways than with his fists, he would rape her at any opportunity he could, Bea could only cry as she explained to me that his verbal assault would continue as he violated her, using all his strength to make sure that she would feel the repercussions of his rape for days afterward, that he would bruise her internally as well as externally.

It was at that point, with tears running down my own face as I listened to the brutality and violence that this woman had been exposed to, that I asked her why she had never reached out for help or ran away. There are many avenues for partners involved in domestic violence, many groups, shelters and tools, I was confused as to why Bea hadn't taken advantage of any of these.

"Firstly, when you're in an abusive relationship, the dominant person knows how to build fear in you, they belittle you at every opportunity, breaking down your walls and self respect, crumbling every ounce of will that you have until you're left just a shell of a person, they make you believe that your not worthy of help, that if you asked for help people would laugh in your face because you were disgusting and vile and nobody would believe that anyone would want to touch you. they have this way of finding out every insecurity you have and using it against you - even the insecurities you didn't even know you had, playing you with it and making sure that their power over your fear and insecurities keeps their secret safe" I could see in Bea's eyes that as she detailed her very valid point to me, that she spoke with so much conviction and spoke of nothing but the truth, yet there was still not an ounce of anger in her eyes. I was shocked, because as I tried to place myself in her shoes, I knew that my eyes would be full of vengeance by this point, but this strong timid woman before me only smiled sadly as I watched, her eyes full of pain, and not revenge.

"I also had Debbie to consider, although Harry was incredibly violent and abusive towards me, he was a good father to our daughter, at least he was before I was put inside. Debbie had already gone through so much in her life time, although we tried to hide it from her, of course she had overheard the yelling and beatings, of course she had witnessed the bruises, the scars, the broken bones and the broken furniture around the house that I couldn't get cleaned up in enough time, kids are really perceptive of their surroundings, she knew what was going on, and I felt like a failure to her, no kid should have to be ashamed of a mother who let herself be beaten most days... but I couldn't bring myself to force her into broken home too, some warped part of my mind told me that if I left, it would be worse for her, a child deserves to have both parents in her life. And there was also the fact that Harry had warned me very clearly that if I ever ran away or told the cops, he would hunt me down and make me watch as he told the whole world how bad a mother I was, how terrible a person I was, and he would turn Debbie against me in the same way that he had turned my parents and my siblings against me, that he would have no worries ripping another person from me and making sure that they saw me for the vile, disgusting piece of trash that I was. He was also very clear that if I ever tried to take Debbie away from him he would take sole custody of her legally, he would cut me off leaving me financially ruined and unable to afford any legal help and would use all of our money to hire the best lawyer possible to destroy me and destroy any chance I had of being a mother or a relationship with my child"

I couldn't believe the words I was listening to, and I couldn't believe that behind the warm smile was a woman who four years later, was still being mentally and emotionally abused by a man that had long gone cold in his grave.

"That night, when he beat the crap out of me, and I knew that rape was coming next... he grabbed my hair and shoved me roughly so was bent over the couch, as he grabbed my pyjamas and ripped them away, he said something that I had never once heard him say before... he told me that if I didn't stay still and take it like a good bag little bitch, that he was going to make me watch as he hurt Debbie" The inmate visibly shuddered before me, her eyes filling with tears and her face paling, still living in the memory of her haunting past.

"The next thing I knew he was laid on the floor unconscious and I was towering over him with the table lamp in my hand, I still don't remember exactly what happened, but I'm assuming that when he said those disgusting things about Debbie, I lost it, grabbed the lamp and hit him with it, I would take every beating and rape he could give me, but I would be damned if I would let him lay a single finger on my beautiful girl... the memories around this are a haze, I'm still working on getting the whole night back, but I do remember pushing his body into the car, taping him down so he couldn't move if he came around and setting up the car so it would look like he killed himself, when I think about these memories its bizarre, its like I'm watching a movie of someone who looks like me doing it, I don't ever remember myself in my own body doing it, just watching myself doing it. Miss Westfall things that its a disassociation mechanism from my brain, perhaps I had suffered a mental breakdown at the time and was acting on impulse and wasn't aware of what I was doing, I cant answer that... but I do know what I did was wrong, whether it was intentional or not, what I should have done after I knocked him unconscious, was ring Debbie and make sure she stayed away from home for the night, then rung the police and gotten them to come over, I cant tell you why I didn't do that when that is exactly what I should have done, but I can tell you that I wish with every breath that I had, if I had done that then I wouldn't have been put in this god awful place, and I would never have put Debbie's life at risk, and my beautiful daughter would be away at Uni right now, growing up and forming into the adult she would spend the rest of her life being and being the beautiful adult I always knew she would be, instead my little girls ashes are in a grave, and all her potential is just gone."

For the hundredth time already, my heart broke for the inmate as I could see her internal demons fighting behind her brown eyes, it was clear that this woman had already suffered so much more than any person should ever had to suffer, and by the look in her eyes, the suffering would continue for the remainder of her life.

We moved down the list and I questioned her about something that caught my eye. 'CONVERSATION WITH WILL JACKSON ABOUT DEBBIE' there were no notes underneath it, and so I asked for Bea to explain to me. When her daughter had died, the prison board refused to allow her to visit the morgue to pay her last respects and say goodbye to her 16 year old daughter. Mr Jackson, the handsome officer from earlier in the day, had offered to go on Bea's behalf in his own time, taking with him a message from Bea that she loved her daughter to the moon and back, when he had returned the next day, he had spent an hour detailing the visit to Bea, she had yet to remember the conversation, but Mr Jackson had attended one of her counselling sessions to explain it to her, not only helping her say goodbye to her daughter, but also helping her to regain her memory of her daughter. Another surprise for me... not all cons and screws are at each others throats.

Bea went on to explain to me that Mr Jackson had also attended her daughters funeral after her permission to attend had been revoked for no reason as she made her way to the funeral. When quizzed about her unusual relationship with the officer, Bea commented "Mr Jackson is a wonderful prison officer, he is fair and he is strict. If you treat him with respect, he will happily give you a kind word or go out of his way to help you, but if you disrespect him, or any of the other officers or women, he will come down hard on you, making it clear that you were in the wrong and need to amend your ways. What he did for me, for Debbie, attests to how amazing he is at his job, and I will always have a strong respect for him, as do many of the women, in fact you won't be surprised to know that he is kind of the spunk of Wentworth, many of the women love to flirt with him and try to convince him to cross the line and push the boundaries, but I have never seen him be anything less than professional with the women, if the correctional boards could find more officers like him, they would quickly find themselves releasing more rehabilitated women than ever before" Bea laughed wholeheartedly when I asked if she was listed on Mr Jackson's resume as a reference as well as Miss Westfall's. It was a wonderful laugh to hear, and after seeing the dark pain in her eyes, it was wonderful to see the smile reaching her eyes.

"I keep being told how nice his arse is" Bea grinned, "Perhaps he should put that in his resume, I know plenty of women who would be happy to confirm it" the way the woman's eyes danced, you could tell that she was letting me getting a glimpse of some inside joke. She almost cackled when I asked if she was one of the women who enjoyed Will Jacksons backside.

"No, I have actually found love in here, and I only have eyes for her" I couldn't believe the change in this woman's eyes, two moments ago they were full of pain and self hatred, the next full of amusement, and now they were full of love. She blushed slightly as I examined her, clearly realising that she had said more than she meant to, and this was just another side to the supposed hard, violent and cold killer that was meant to be sat in front of me. She was blushing at the mention of someone that she had fallen in love with, she was being bashful and timid about it. This woman was full of surprises.

Several minutes later as we were back to discussing the details around her daughters death, the remaining women from the unit returned from what I was Informed was their work duty. As they entered the large baron space we were sat in, I felt apprehension at being outnumbered by convicts, despite my guards being stood at the gate for my protection. But my nervousness was completely unfounded as I watched several women, each as different from each other as possible enter the room, offer me a kind smile as they each kissed Bea's head affectionately as they passed her and made their way towards the communal couch politely to not interrupt our conversation. I watched as Bea's eyes followed one of the prisoners with an almost dreamy look in her eyes, another surprise for me. This inmate was clearly the woman she was in love with, and let me assure you that even a blind person would have been able to see that love.

I quizzed Bea on her room mates, commenting on how they seemed different from the other women I had been introduced to on my way to start the interview.

"All the women on this unit have taken heed of the opportunities, lessons and respect that Governor Bennett, Mr Jackson and Miss Westfall have given them. Each of these women are reformed individuals who are quietly serving out their sentence, only getting involved in prison politics when protecting a victim from some of the abusive, violent and psychotic women that find themselves in Wentworth." It seems that Bea Smith would be busy writing references for people in the rest of her sentence.

We were interrupted as an alarm siren sounded, and I have to admit that I was scared out of my senses when they tannoy announced a code blue and for all inmates to return to their units. I was even further shocked when Bea announced to the two officers on guard that she would make sure I was safe with her whilst they attended the situation. What surprised me most, was the trust the officers showed her, clearly respecting that they would keep an eye on me, after checking that I was comfortable with the situation, the officers locked us all in the unit and I found myself feeling completely safe and comfortable as the women around me told me that a code blue meant that a fight had broken out somewhere in the prison and an officer was involved in the altercation, making sure that I knew that I was safe in their unit and the situation would be over in a few minutes, and they were right, it was.

As we waited for the situation to be over, Bea introduced me to her room mates, Liz was a mother of two, a recovering alcoholic who had made a mistake during a drunken occasion which found herself locked up. She was the mother of the group, and as she brought us both a fresh cup of tea and patted Bea's shoulder soothingly, it was clear that she loved her role as the mother hen. Then there was Maxine, a post operation Transgender female who was Bea's best friend inside. The woman was in remission from cancer and had been trough a recent mastectomy, she had stabbed her boyfriend during an argument with a pair of scissors, and as Bea told me her story, it was evident that the boyfriend had been controlling and on the verge of abusive. Then there was Sue, who the inmates lovingly call Boomer, based on her ability to boom her voice across any space, Bea explained to me that Boomer had entered the prison several years ago on assault charges, and had found herself mixed up in all sorts of trouble which had kept adding time to her sentence. I was shocked to discover that the woman was pregnant, and with the child of Maxine, Bea explained to me how Boomer had been spending a lot of time going through counselling to combat her anger issues and had done a complete 360 since Bea's arrival. The woman was participating in several courses to help her get a job when she was finally released. Then there was Doreen, a young aboriginal woman who was sentenced because of her crashing her car whilst under the influence of drugs and alcohol, the crash causing the loss of her unborn child which she didn't know she was carrying. Doreen was quiet, and well spoken, proud to show me photos of her son, Joshua, who lives on the outside with his father. The last woman that Bea introduced me to was Allie, the blonde who had captured Bea's heart, and as I watched the two women interact, it was clear that the love they had found in each other was rare and true. Allie admitted to me that she was inside because of her links to a group called the Red Right Hand who had been arrested following a string of violence against men who were getting away with violent crimes against women. She filled me in on how she was a recovering drug addict who had been forced to turn to prostitution after being kicked out of her family home at the age of 14.

As Bea introduced all of these women, who were going out of their way to make me feel safe and welcome, I couldn't help but come to the conclusion that I had been completely ignorant to the truth's of inmates around the world. These women weren't a threat to society anymore, each of them had found themselves committing a crime and being punished for it, and regardless of what it took for them to get to the point they were all at now, they had all come to terms with their life choices and were working towards being better people, each looking forward to being released and building a life for themselves.

As I sat and watched Allie stand behind Bea, playing with her hair as the three of us chatted easily, I could have forgotten that I was sat inside a prison with convicted murderers and people who had committed violent crime, and instead could have been sat in a bar chatting to new friends over a drink. And that was certainly not something I expected to be feeling right there.

Bea continued on with her story, telling me how Jacs Holt had made her son, Braydon Holt, get close to Debbie and get the former A grade student addicted to drugs, before giving her a hot shot. A hot shot was described to me as a lethal dose of drugs which was injected, by ones self or by an attacker, with the intent to end the life of the person receiving the hot shot. Bea described to me how she had ended up in the psych ward, being force fed narcotics to calm her down, the only thing she remembers from this time is being in a bubble where she lived a content life with Debbie, but with the pain evident in her eyes, I didn't push her for further details, the bubble that she shared with her daughter was for her own memories.

Referring back to the timeline, Bea was able to walk me through the next few steps that happened, but was very diplomatic about the events, she admitted that she had regained some memories around the event, but was still trying to piece them all together to find out what had actually happened. From my research it was claimed that Bea Smith had cornered the inmate Jacs Holt and had stabbed her with a pen, watched as she bled out and was then caught leaving the cell, however Bea was unsure of how many of these 'facts' were true. She told me that she still doesn't remember how she ended up in the cell, or what she was doing there, but divulged what she did remember.

'I remember Jacs moving to attack me, and my first instinct was self defence, Jacs was a formidable woman, she ran the prison as top dog with fear and violence, and I had been on the receiving end of her fury several times and thought that in that moment I was going to be meeting my untimely death. I'm not too sure how it happened, but as Jacs made a move at me, I grabbed a pen and before I knew it, it was buried in her neck. She stood looking at me with this smirk on her face, like I had done exactly what she wanted me to do, and she stumbled back away from me. I was in so much shock at what had just happened that I just stood watching as she ripped the pen from her own neck, her blood gushing out and spraying all over me. I moved forward to cover the wound with my hands to try and stop the blood flow while I called for help, but with her last ounces of energy, she pushed me away, looking at me as if she had royally screwed me over. I rushed to the panic button and hit it, so hard that I felt like I was going to break my hand. Within seconds there were screws everywhere, they saw Jacs bleeding out on her bed, saw me covered in blood, put two and two together and I was slotted, charged and then sentenced for her murder" When questioned whether she believed the charges were correct, Bea looked at me deeply in the eyes, the pain behind them had returned, and she answered honestly "I'm not sure if I wouldn't call it murder, I don't know if I went there with the intent to harm her, I haven't been able to regain that memory, but I do believe that regardless I should have been charged with at least manslaughter. Regardless of how the situation arose, there is no denying that I was responsible for her death, and I am paying for that gross error in my judgment now with my life, as it stands I stand no chance of being released from this place, Jacs got what she wanted all along, she killed my daughter, and then killed any chance I ever had of being able to be on the outside and build a life. I have come to terms with the fact that I will spend the rest of my life inside these walls and will one day leave in a coffin, but until then I will have to watch the people I love and care about walk outside and build a life that doesn't include me, one day I will have to say goodbye to my soulmate and watch as she leaves to build a life that I will never be a part of, and although there is a little part of me that is selfish and wishes I could keep her here with me forever, more than anything I want for her to get out there and show the world how incredible she is, to build a life and be happy and safe, as much as it hurts to think about it and admit to it, I hope she finds someone who she can love, and will treasure her half as much as I do, who will look after her and make sure that they make her smile her beautiful smile, and laugh without restriction, and give her something to truly live for and stay clean for, and the biggest punishment that I could ever receive is that I wont be there to be that person, and we will never be able to build a home with my Debbie and get our happily ever after" There are no words that I can use to describe the pain in the brown eyes before me, this was clearly a topic that the woman thinks of on a regular basis, and I couldn't help but smile as the woman in question soothed her lovingly and told her not to think about it, that it was too far in the future and they would work it all out. And my heart broke. Bea Smith had already been through so much, had already lost so much and one of the biggest things she had lost was the opportunity for a future, even after she pays the price of her crimes, after she atones for her mistakes and reforms, she will remain locked inside Wentworth with no opportunity of a future, and again this is my own personal opinion and not the opinion of the paper, the woman sitting before me deserves a chance at a future.

Bea continues on describing to me the events which led to the death of Braydon Holt, explaining to me how she managed to get into a position where she could escape from custody to exact revenge on him, but was adamant that she was repeating information she had been told and that she had yet to regain any worth while memories from that specific event.

"After I was charged with his murder" Bea moved along. "I was adamant that I was going to live out my life in prison, do what I could for the women here that I love, and those who would come in the future, help where I could and hopefully stop anyone else from finding themselves in the same position. And that's when all this mess started with The Freak" she was referring to inmate Joan Fergusson, who was previously Governor of Wentworth and found herself incarcerated on criminal charges before being acquitted and going on attack mode and stabbing Smith 17 times, causing massive internal damage, resulting in Bea having a kidney removed, losing several sections of her intestines as well as needing several pieces of muscle repairing, Fergusson now resides at an undisclosed location awaiting trial for the attempted murder of Bea Smith.

"She was manipulative, a true psychopath" Smith explains. "She was responsible for the murder of at least two inmates whilst holding her governor position at Wentworth, The first was a woman who was in Jacs Holt's crew, she gave her a hotshot. The second was a girl who she killed and then tried to cover the murder with the fire that burnt down half of H Block" Bea informed me. "She has this innate way of getting inside peoples heads and getting them do to whatever she needs them to do. We tried to rescue one girl from her, Jodie, she had her slotted and would sneak in there at night and abuse her, messing with her mind and making her have a mental breakdown. She got her into a state where the poor girl would just scratch and scratch at herself until she bled, she even got her to stab herself in the eye with a pencil" Bea admitted with sadness that they were unable to save Jodie from Fergusson's attacks, and Jodie is now residing in a top level psych facility where she is sedated constantly to keep herself from self harm.

"Finally when the fire happened, all our ducks were in a row, and with several reports from different sources being placed upon her, she was arrested. She was locked up in a psych hospital too, having a complete mental break down, but she somehow managed to convince the shrink to release her and then managed to get herself locked up in Wentworth" When questioned on how that was even allowed, Bea simply shrugged her shoulders and with a sad smile she informed me. "That's the freak, she always finds a way to achieve what she wants. The Governor, Miss Bennett... she fought hard to petition her even being here, telling everyone that it wasn't safe, but she was ignored, which clearly was a big mistake, because she played the system, got herself out of protection and begun her mind games straight away on officers and inmates alike"

"Ferguson was put in Allie's old unit, where she got inside Kaz Proctors mind too, I was lucky enough to get Allie away from her, but not before Ferguson used Proctor to attempt her revenge against me by spiking me with Rohypnol and attempting to drown me, luckily Allie and Mr Jackson were able to revive me. She then used Kaz and the other women to drive a wedge between Allie and I, got Allie back on the drugs and broke us up, it was a tough few weeks but eventually I pulled my head in and Allie got off the drugs" Allie was adamant that she only got off the drugs with Bea's help, that the red headed woman had locked the two of them in her cell and guided the woman through cold turkey. Allie described how Bea had held her hair as her body went into withdrawal and she spent the night throwing up, how she had held her down to stop herself from harming herself as she tried to escape the cell to get a fix, how Bea had wrapped her up when she went through her cold shivers, and wiped her down with a damp cloth when she felt like her skin was going to melt off from the fever. And true to my promise to Allie, I'm making sure everyone knows that Bea helped her through that, let me assure you Allie Novak is a very convincing individual.

"Once she realised that the love Allie and I shared was too strong to break, she went after Allie, cornering her when she was alone and giving her a hotshot, she ended up in hospital in intensive care, they decided that she wasn't going to make it and turned her machines off, but Allie was too strong for that and instead of dying, she woke up... Allie One, The Freak Nil" Beas proud smile at her girlfriend was unmistakable, and very heart warming.

"Anyway whilst all this was happening, she managed to get to me too, 17 stab wounds... Bea One, The Freak Nil... It has been a long road to recovery, both mentally and physically, but I'm proud to say that with the help of my girls in H1, and the fantastic support from the staff at both Melbourne Royal Central Hospital and at Wentworth, I am finally starting to remember more than I have forgotten, and my physio has been gruelling, but I'm finally feeling back to my old self physically. There's still a long way to go, but I'm hopeful that within the next year I will be able to regain my full strength and will have regained my full memory... and all Ferguson achieved was creating a few scars and exposing the psychopath she really is, I'm just happy that she is locked away in a secure cell where she is unable to harm anyone else"

And that was the end of my interview. Most journalists will tell you that they had one interview that changed their life, or their outlook on life, and I will openly admit to being sceptic about that 'magic interview' even existing, that was until I spent a day in H Unit at Wentworth with Bea Smith. A woman who against all odds, has made herself a home inside the sinister walls of Wentworth Correctional Facility, has a family support network who love and admire her within the prison, just as much as she admires them, and has found love for the first time. I cant help but feel proud of the woman I have only just met, to go through so much pain and hurt, to put up with years of endless violence and rape, before being thrown into a violent place where she was victimised and had her only child ripped away from her and murdered by a violent crime family, yet somehow she has found a way to atone for her sins, help others and find love.

If you know of, or suspect somebody who is suffering as a result of domestic violence, please contact the hotline on 02 0387 8578. And if you take anything from this article, please take away, that the women inside a prison can be there for many reasons, some a vicious monsters, others made a bad judgement call, and others are there purely because they are the victim of circumstance. If you are able to support a reformed prisoner by helping them get back on their feet by providing them with the opportunity to gain employment after release, please contact the paper, where we will direct you to how to help these women. Without our help they become at a risk of reoffending, or suicide, if you can help these women, please do what you can.

Sophia Livingstone


	25. Chapter 25

"Holy shit Gidge, have you read this, it's better than I could have hoped for" Frankie grinned as she showed Bridget the article on Bea, it stretched over four pages, excluding the front cover. There were photos along side the article, and Frankie couldn't help but grin at the photo Sophia had taken of Frankie's H1 family at her visit with the journalist herself, she had taken a selfie with herself and Bea in the centre, the other women gathering in around them, it showed anyone who couldn't be bothered to read the actual article that her family were safe and good people, grinning with a complete stranger who felt safe enough to get amongst them for a selfie.

"I have honey, Sofia did a great job... anyone who reads this will surely see that Bea isn't the violent monster that the press have previously made her out to be" Bridget grinned as Frankie pecked her lips happily.

"You know Gidge, This is the first time, for real, I actually feel really positive about this case, everything is pulling together, we almost have the complete puzzle, and now with things like this... shit, we could actually get Bea the opportunity at a future that isn't in Wentworth"

"You, not we, you have done all the work here babe, Bea is really lucky that she has you as a friend you know" Bridget grinned as she watched her partner practically dance around the room in happiness and excitement.

Their conversation was interrupted by Frankie's cell phone ringing. Glancing at the screen she didn't recognise the number, she answered it, kissing Bridget on the temple as she sang happily into the phone and made her way to her home office in case she needed to make any notes,

"Am I speaking to Frankie Doyle?" The caller asked.

"Speaking, may I ask who is calling?" Frankie couldn't keep the happiness from her voice.

"Miss Doyle, I have been informed that you are Bea Smith's attorney" The man paused awaiting for confirmation before proceeding. "My name is Mitch Hancock, and I'm calling you from 9 News. We read the article in this morning's paper about your client, and wanted to discuss with you the opportunity to interview with Miss Smith live on air regarding her experiences she detailed with Sophia Livingstone"

"Ok, and why do you want to interview her?" Frankie asked, feeling the excitement rising in herself at how the PR plan was so quickly coming together.

"We don't just want to interview Miss Smith, we would actually like to interview the other women in her unit, which we have been informed are all your clients as well. We want to do a follow up on Miss Livingstone's interview and expose the reality of living in a correctional centre. We were moved with the stories that were documented in the article, and want to raise awareness to the importance of the general public helping offenders find their feet on the outside, and how we can help them from reoffending, we think that if we were to do an interview with these women, the public would see a different side to inmates, and be more receptive to giving them a chance. I understand that you yourself are an ex inmate who has achieved a lot since her release, and we would like to include you in our segment"

"Right I see, well I will speak to my clients, and discuss with them how we would proceed with this. Of course I would need to liaise with the Governor of Wentworth to gain permission, if the women wanted to go ahead with this opportunity, the decision wouldn't be hers however, she would need to take the proposition to the board who would then make a decision, but foreseeing that, I know that they would want to see an itinerary and would want to sign off on which questions you will be asking the women, and they would want to know a lot more details, like if it was a live interview or pre-recorded, where you would want to hold the interview, they would most likely want a criminal check of anyone who would be involved in it, and so you're aware, everyone involved would need to agree to the possibility of submitting to a strip search... they like to make sure that there is no way that drugs or weapons can be passed along" Frankie grinned, hoping that if she could put him off, it would be at this early stage.

"Of course, of course. I have been working on a proposal since the idea was submitted to me, I can have it sent over to you by lunchtime for you to check over, and you can get back to me with any amendments you think need making before it is submitted to the board at Wentworth. We are really excited about where this may lead, we think this is a great opportunity for the public to get a real view at what reformed women are like" Mitch answered kindly.

They exchanged details, Mitch promising to have the proposal sent over as soon as it was complete and signed off by his boss, and Frankie promising to speak with the clients he had requested, as well as the Governor on his behalf.

"Hey Gidge, you're never going to believe this" Frankie grinned as she skipped back to the kitchen to find Bridget pouring some coffee into her travel cup to drink on the way to the prison.

"What's happened babe?" Bridget grinned at Frankie's antics, loving seeing this excited childlike part of her.

"Oh you know, that was Mitch from 9 news, requesting that I set up an interview for myself and the girls to discuss reform and the correctional system so that we can educate the public on the importance of the part they have to play in helping reformed inmates get their lives back together and abstain from reoffending" Frankie grinned as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriends waist.

"Holy shit babe, that's amazing, do you realise how big an opportunity this is to reshape the stereotypes of former offenders... this is just amazing, Vera is going to be so excited... you should ring her now on your way to the office and tell her" Bridget grinned, she had worked hard on the inside building up the women's confidence and helping them deal with their demons so that when they got on the outside they felt able to manage their new freedoms, and she couldn't be prouder that without even trying her partner was taking things to the next level and was shaping the future for inmates across the country, possibly the world.

"Hey aren't you the Frankie Doyle that's going to be on 9 news this week?" Jane asked excitedly when Frankie got to work an hour later, after speaking to Vera, Frankie had phoned her boss to fill her in on the news.

"With a bit of luck, Vera is talking to the board right now about it, trying to get them on board, do you even realise what this could do for the women in prison... I can't believe this is happening" Frankie grinned.

"I can, love. I knew when I interviewed you and saw your passion for criminal law that you were going to do big things, I'm really proud of you. and we have a meeting with Phil later, he has heard the news and I think he wants to give you a huge pat on the back himself" Jane grinned, laughing softly as she saw Frankie's smile falter, she knew the woman was always nervous when being called upon by her superiors, the deep rooted fears from her prison days always making her assume that she had done something wrong and she would be messing up her future, but Frankie had nothing to worry about, Jane knew exactly what Phil wanted to discuss with the both of them, and she couldn't be more excited for her friend.

Three hours passed slowly as Frankie tried to work on her case, knowing that her discussion with Phil was upcoming. Phil was a partner at the firm, actually the first partner, and it was him who had guided the firm into being more about helping clients than their paycheques. She admired him for the work that he did, and the ethics that he forced into his company and his employees, but the thought that he would be pissed with her for her side cases, frankly he scared the crap out of her. She couldn't help but feel like the cycle of her life was about to turn full circle again, every time she got her life in a good place, she fucked up somehow and ended up in the dirt, and the thought of going home to Bridget and having to tell her that she had been thrown out of the office, scared the crap out of her, she didn't want to disappoint her partner, but most of all she didn't want to disappoint herself. And it was with those thoughts running around her head, trying to work out how she would tell Bridget that she had failed again, that she entered the large office with her boss, Jane.

"Frankie... it's good to see you, take a seat. Jane, thanks for coming" Phil smiled warmly, his tone confusing Frankie, he was too chipper for someone that was about to kick her out on the street and fire her arse.

"I'm sure your wondering why I have called you in here" Phil smiled as he poured both women and himself a glass of water before sitting in his leather desk chair. He watched as the usually confident woman sat before him a bag of nerves, nodding her head as she struggled to find the ability to talk, he decided enough was enough and he needed to put her out of her misery.

"I was having my monthly review with Jane yesterday, every month she catches me up on how everyone is going, especially the newer people, raises any concerns, that kind of thing. And she happened to mention your little pet project, and all that you have achieved with it" Phil started, taking a sip of the water as he watched Frankie look nervously at Jane who just smiled at her.

'Here it is' Frankie thought. 'come on just spit it out so I can get out of here and work out how the hell I'm going to tell Gidge about my fuck up'

"Well, I spent the night liaising with the other partners about an idea that had formed after you started, and the more Jane updated me on your progress the more the idea seemed to fit, but after finding out about your pet project, and waking up this morning to the whirlwind that you have started...I have an offer I, and the other partners, would like to extend to you. How would you feel about heading up your own department?" Phil grinned.

"Wait what... you're not firing me?" Frankie asked without thinking, glaring at Jane who found her outburst hilarious.

"Firing you... Jesus no! First of all, we have the only person in Australia on staff that has received a 99.9% in the bars, you're pretty much hot property, and between us I have heard plenty of rumours about offers that will be coming your way... I'm impressed with what you have been doing, not only have you kept up with your workload, you have been working on a case that most lawyers would die to get their hands on but would never have the balls to go out looking for... so let me ask you again, how would you feel about heading your own department?"

"Erm, I don't know what to say, I mean thankyou Phil, it means a lot to me to have my efforts recognised, but you've kind of thrown me off guard a bit" Frankie admitted, throwing another glare at Jane who sat giggling at her friends lack of compose.

"I understand that, and I would like for you to go home tonight and think about it, there is no rush for an answer, but I would request that you have one before the end of the week. So this department that I want you to head... I want you to open up a new department, both Jane and I will help to assist you in any way we can. But we want you to be the face of our inmate reform department. You will be in charge, of a small staff at first, you will hand pick the cases your department takes. You will liaise with the prisons around Melbourne, finding out which inmates are applicable for parole, or that you think their cases could be attested based on the original trial, and you will guide these inmates through the process, and help them get back on their feet afterwards, you will have a catalogue of contacts at your disposal in a bid to get the women the homing and work needed, essentially you will be taking charge of a parole officers position, ensuring that they are doing their jobs right, and helping to remove any who are abusing the system so that the reformed inmates have a better, and safer opportunity, to get their lives back on track and stay on track... what do you think?"

"Honestly, I cant think at the moment, I'm in too much shock, today has been massive... but I really appreciate the offer, it is definitely something that I am interested in, and am so honoured that you think I would be able to handle this, but I need to discuss it with my fiancée, I cant make a decision this big without at least discussing it with her" Frankie admitted, her face still pale from the shock.

"Of course, well you get yourself home for the day, and speak to Bridget, and let me know your thoughts... of course the offer is a promotion, which will likely require a few more hours a week, however considering that your already working two full time jobs by working the Smith case in your own time, you will probably be saving yourself hours of work, and will have a team of three at your disposal, another entry level lawyer, and two paralegals, as well as an assistant for the team. You will have your own office area, and I'm pretty sure if none of this can sway your mind, the pay rise will, its all in the contract I have had written up for you to take home and read over, it details what you will be responsible for and what duties you will need to undertake, as well as what the perks of this promotion will be... take a look over it and let me know if you have any questions" Phil slid a brown envelope across the desk and watched as Frankie picked it up nervously, nodding her head that she had heard his request.

"Now get out of here and we will see you in the morning, and thankyou Frankie, for everything you have done for our firm so far. Jane picked very wisely when she selected you for the position. We are very proud of everything you have brought to the firm, and if you decide to decline the offer, there will still be a pay rise coming your way, we are happy to reward those that work as hard as you have been... now go, I don't want to see you until the morning" Phil grinned, this was the part of his job he loved the most.

"Hey baby" Bridget grinned as her phone vibrated on her desk and she saw Frankie's beautiful face flash on the screen.

"Uh hey... do you have a few minutes for me to run something by you?" Bridget's heart dropped at the seriousness in Frankie's voice.

"Babe, where are you?" Bridget asked realising there wasn't the usual background noise of the office on the line.

"Uh Phil gave me the afternoon off... he made me an offer today, I'm still not really sure if it just happened, or whether I'm dreaming of something" Frankie stated, trailing off before realising that Bridget was waiting for her to continue. "I've just been offered a huge promotion, like stepping up four levels in the career ladder... he wants me to head my own department, for reformed criminals, to help get women out and stay out, if they deserve to be out of course, it means extra hours and a lot more responsibility... but I'm really considering about it" Frankie admitted shyly.

"Oh baby, that's fantastic" Bridget beamed. "What's holding you back babe?"

"I wanted to talk it over with you first, see what you thought... do you think I'm ready for such a big step? I don't want to put too much pressure on myself and end up crashing and burning. What if this leads to me losing it all, losing you... what if it pushes me into doing something stupid and landing back inside" Bridget couldn't help her heart breaking at the lost and broken voice of her partner.

"First of all, I doubt Phil would offer you such a position if he didn't think you were capable of it, secondly, you've worked hard for this babe, you deserve to be given this opportunity, even if you turn it down, and lastly... Babe your not going to fuck up, you need to stop expecting the worst from yourself and start believing in yourself... this is who you are now, a high flying, high achieving lawyer, who is kicking ass at every turn. If this is something you want, then we will make it work, together, I will help out in anyway I can, but the choice has to be yours... just know, I'm proud of you whatever you decide" Bridget smiled into the phone, wishing that she was with Frankie so she could give her a hug.

"I think I'm going to take it" Frankie said after a few moments. "I think I need to take it for myself, and I think I need to take it for all the women that I could help, this is why I wanted to be a lawyer, this is the dream, I think I'm just in complete shock that its actually just been handed to me in a brown envelope" Frankie admitted.

"I'm not in shock babe, you have worked so hard for this, you have earned this, this isn't just something you were lucky with, like winning the lottery, this is something you fought for, you sweat for, you bled for, and you deserve this opportunity so much"

"You're right... I'm going to say yes, are you sure its ok if I say yes?" Frankie asked shyly.

"If you say yes, then it means we get to celebrate tonight, just the two of us, with champagne, and strawberries, and absolutely no clothing" Bridget grinned as she heard Frankie's breath hitch.

"Well if I hadn't made my mind up before, I have now. I'm going to call Phil and tell him yes... god this is the best day ever... AND I have just been promised sex tonight, how can it get any better?" Frankie grinned, her voice lifting for the first time.

"I'm proud of you baby" Bridget grinned before hanging up to let Frankie call her boss and make the commitment to her future.

Vera frowned in frustration as she left another meeting with the board, she was excited about the prospect of making a public display about corrections, it would do amazing things for the women involved, for Frankie's career, for Wentworth, even for her career, but all the board could see was all the things that could go wrong. They had issued her with a list of demands following up from reading the proposal to the interview, and if she was honest, she knew that if she was on the other side of the proposal and demands, she would be telling the board where to stick it.

But she had been tasked with the job of liaising with all the parties to iron out the kinks, and she was determined to do everything she could to make this interview happen, if at the very least because she knew it would massively help Bea's case.

Picking up her cell, she called Frankie to update her on the demands the board was issuing, hearing the other woman not reply with as much frustration and annoyance as she felt.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Vera asked as she reached her office, kicked off her shoes and dumped herself in the couch in the corner of the room.

"Oh I just got offered a huge promotion to run my own department helping offenders who deserve release getting out... and with it comes a cushy office, a company car, and a huge pay rise... on top of that we are ironing out a deal with 9 news that will help Bea's case massively, as well as helping all the people I love in someway, on top of that I'm engaged to the most beautiful woman in the world oh and unlike you, I'm not sat in Wentworth right now, what the hell is there not to be chipper about" Frankie grinned when she heard Vera congratulate her, her excitement clear in her voice.

"Look don't stress about the demands ok, when I spoke to Mitch this morning, I threw him a bit of a test, tried to put the shit's up him about every single person having to go through with a strip search for drugs before they would be allowed access to the girls, he took it in his stride, I think he genuinely wants to do this and not just for his ratings... I'm sure whatever the demands are, he will find a way to work with them. just send them over to me, I will take a quick read of them, and then give him a ring and see what I can work out"

Vera relaxed into her chair at hearing Frankie's offer to take this problem off her hands. "You're amazing you know, I owe you big time" Vera grinned.

"I do know, for some reason everyone has decided that today is the day to tell me, not that I'm complaining, as you were saying... I'm amazing..." Frankie trailed off causing Vera to laugh.

"You're an idiot Doyle, I'm sending the demands through now, call me when you've got confirmation... and congrats again, let me know when you two love birds have finished celebrating alone and we will organise dinner at mine to celebrate, I promise no tequila"


	26. Chapter 26

Three weeks had passed since what was now being referred to as 'The best day ever' and today was a massive day as Frankie waved goodbye to the two women and two men who worked underneath her as she made her way towards Wentworth to get ready for the interview. Things had progressed massively, and what had started out as a simple interview with Bea and company, had now turned into an hour long one off documentary that 9 news was going to be airing next week. The board had refused for a live interview, citing that they couldn't guarantee the women wouldn't use the opportunity for a hidden agenda, and their answers couldn't be controlled, which made perfect sense from a PR perspective, they had final say on the edit which would be released to the public. And the entire prison was buzzing with the news that their home was going to be on TV for a good reason for once.

The documentary now extended to an interview with Vera as Governor, Will as Deputy and Bridget as the forensic psychologist. They had all been briefed on the questions they would be asked providing them with an opportunity to formulate answers, which were then signed off by the board.

As Frankie checked herself in at the entrance, she grinned at the excitement buzzing around the place, it wasn't often that Wentworth was alive like this. She was escorted to H2 which was being used as a staging area, whilst H1 was being used as the set. They wanted to give the public a real insight to the conditions the women lived in, instead of using a studio, or some interview room within the prison.

"Is this the set for Wentworth Housewives?" Frankie asked as she entered with a box of donuts for everyone, who jumped up from their seats between make up, hair, and wardrobe. Although they had been refused to wear their own clothes, the TV crew had brought in some cleaning crew to press the uniforms to make sure they looked as neat as possible for TV.

"You're the only housewife here Doyle" Boomer grinned as she grabbed the box of donuts and jumped out of Frankie's reach, worried her best friend would try and crack her one for her 'insult'.

"Happy housewife" Frankie corrected much to Boomer's shock as she watched her friend approach her partner and kissing her lips sexily before whispering something in the blondes ear which caused the psychologist to blush before pushing Frankie away from her with a warning look. 'Uhh' Boomer thought. 'loved up Frankie is no fun... its only fun if she retaliates'

"How's everyone feeling?" Frankie grinned at the nervous faces as she planted a kiss on Bea's head and squeezed her shoulder, ignoring the questioning looks from the TV crew members as this newcomer made her way between the prison staff and inmates alike and received equal respect and welcome from both sides.

"Bloody shitting myself, I cant believe you talked us into this" Bea glared.

"Baby chill, your going to be great, stop stressing" Allie soothed as hair dresser straightened her hair before pulling it up into a ponytail that Allie normally wore.

The crew were being careful not to beautify prison too much, but the women were loving being pampered and having their hair and make up done for them. Frankie squeezed Bea's shoulder once more.

"Red, you know what they are gonna ask, all you have to do is answer honestly. Your going to do great, just think of all the women that are going to benefit for this documentary... and blondie is right, you need to stop stressing, having a heart attack in front of the camera, is not going to be a good look for you" Frankie grinned.

"Babe be nice!" Bridget warned her from across the room, causing the other women to laugh.

"Yeah Frankie... be nice, otherwise Miss Westfall might have to throw you in the slot and punish you" Boomer grinned hoping for a reaction.

"In that case, I definitely wont be nice" Frankie winked and raised her eyebrows at Boomer who grimaced as she realised that Frankie had turned her words around, as usual.

"There's something wrong with you" Boomer stated, not liking the playful look in Frankie's eyes.

"Yeah there is, I have to hang out in this place with your miserable face instead of being at home making out with my fiancé all night" Frankie laughed.

"Frankie, enough!" Bridget called from the hair chair, where the hair dresser was beginning to straighten her hair now that her makeup and clothing was complete.

"Aww come on Gidge... Boom's loves to hear all the gory details, don't you Boom's" Frankie grinned, throwing a wink at Bridget's reflection in the mirror, her grin spreading when she saw her lover shake her head in amusement.

"Do I shite... I don't wanna know what kinky perverted shit you get up to" Boomer laughed.

"Ahh but the fact that your assuming that we are getting up to kinky perverted shit, just says how much thought you already have put into my sex life" Frankie laughed as Boomer blushed.

"Your an idiot" Boomer laughed as she pulled Frankie into a tight hug, whispering that she had missed her.

"Jesus Boom's... my fiancé is sat right there, you cant ask me to come back to your cell and do that shit to you, you know it was a one time only thing" Frankie jumped back in surprise, smirking at the look of horror on Boomer's face as she realised that she had just been set up.

"Frankie, leave her alone" Bridget laughed, loving watching how partner interacted with her family.

"See that loosely translates to... Frankie, leave her alone, I'm getting jealous that Boom's is getting to hit on you, and I'm not" Frankie grinned, guffawing when both Boomer and Bridget flicked the finger at her at the same time.

"As if I would touch you, god knows where you have been" Boomer laughed.

"Shit you're right, Gidge have you have a STD check lately?" Frankie called almost doubling over at the shock on Bridget's face that her partner would ask her such a thing in front of people. Boomer couldn't help but cackle at the huge balls Frankie had.

"No but after being with you I probably should" Bridget shot back, trying to force her blush back down.

"It's probably advisable... she has been with some pretty skanky hoes from what I hear" Allie laughed, getting in on the joke, grinning proudly when she heard Bea guffaw.

"True, apparently she didn't have any taste until she met me" Bridget offered, grinning at the feigned shock on Frankie's face.

"Excuse me, you have no idea who has kept my bed warm, I'll ask you not to judge thanks, jealousy is a horrible thing" Frankie laughed.

"Oh yeah, what's your magic number again Frankie?" Boomer grinned when she saw the serious glare Frankie was now throwing her way with a slight shake of her head, and with that gesture, Boomer knew she had hit the jackpot and struck gold.

Frankie moved to the freshly vacated seat to get her screen make up done, frowning at the silence that had followed Boomer's question.

"Ahh come on Franks, you didn't used to be so shy, what was that magic number again?" Boomer grinned.

"Shut it Boom's" was Frankie's only retort, and Boomer knew she had her... hook, line and sinker. Frankie had never been coy about how many conquests she had achieved before Bridget, reciting her number to anyone who would listen… and often to anyone who wouldn't listen.

"Come on Frankie… we all know your number is 47" Boomer stated, the rest of the women calling the number 47 with her before bursting out in laughter at Frankie who groaned and dropped her head into her hands.

"What's up Doyle, you used to be so proud of your magic 47" Bea grinned, grabbing that hypothetical spoon and stirring the pot a bit while she had the opportunity. Chances to torture Frankie while she was embarrassed were very few and far between.

"Wait a sec… she's w'th Bridge now, so it must be 48 now" Liz grinned, unable to resist joining in the fun as she threw an apologetic glance at Bridget who just winked for her to keep it up, she was enjoying seeing Frankie cringe for a change.

"Guy's you've had your laugh, now lets move on" Frankie snapped, taking the other women back a little.

"Oh this is priceless… you never told her your magic number, did you" Boomer grinned, knowing by Frankies glare that she had completely hit the nail on the head.

"Boom's.. I think we should drop it now" Liz advised after seeing Frankie snap just a moment ago.

"Nah everyone knows you need to be honest about your magic number… Frankie was never shy before… I mean I bet Bridget had said her lucky number" Boomer called, unable to resist as she winked at Bridget.

"22 including Frankie" Bridget laughed as Frankie's eyebrows shot up in surprise, she knew it was highly unprofessional of her to make such a confession in front of inmates, but she was surrounded by people she considered friends and whom she trusted, and the hilarity of embarrassing Frankie for a change was more than worth it.

"what's 22 including Frankie?" Governor Bennett asked, entering mid conversation, laughing when Allie wolf whistled at her perfectly pressed uniform.

"Uh … Miss Westfall was just telling us how many women she has gotten off… their sentences I mean" Boomer blushed causing Frankie to smirk for the first tme in several minutes. Bridget rolled her eyes with laughter at Boomer's attempt to protect her.

"We were discussing magic numbers… Frankie is being all shy about her 48" Bridget confided, pulling Vera into the awkward yet hilarious conversation.

"Wow Frankie… you should really get tested" Vera grinned, picking up that they were all tag teaming Frankie and giving her a taste of her own medicine. "especially if you ever plan on acting on your crush" Vera winked at Frankie causing all the women to erupt into laughter.

"How's the toy boy?" Frankie asked as she flipped Vera the finger.

"Toy boy?" Boomer grinned, loving a bit of juicy gossip.

"he is fine thanks Frankie… still doesn't want to meet his biggest competition" she laughed as she flicked her finger back at the ex inmate much to the amusement of the other women.

"Come on Miss Bennett… what's your magic number" Boomer grinned cheekily.

"Well for professional sake, let's just say it's less than 48 and leave it at that" Vera winked at Boomer before sitting down to have her own makeup done.

"Ah we will get it out of her one day" Boomer grinned. "Maybe when Frankie finally gets her crush in the sack"

"Bea what's your magic number?" Boomer grinned turning her attention towards the former top dog, wondering if she could cause some more mischief.

"Easy 2… the father of my daughter and the love of my life, there will never be a number 3" Bea grinned almost proudly as she saw Allie flush at the confession. It was not a topic they had ever felt the need to discuss, but she wasn't embarrassed to share the information.

"AllIe?" Boomer asked wiggling her eyebrows.

"One" Allie stated seriously, glaring when the other women laughed.

"One hey blondie" Frankie grinned, glad that the attention had been moved from her. "Damn you must have been one lame arsed prostitute" Frankie grinned.

"Only one that actually mattered" Allie flushed when several of the women 'aww'ed at her.

"Shit you're smooth, that's what I should have said, maybe I should pull you aside and get some tips" Frankie laughed.

"Oh Frankie Babe, trust me I have plenty of tips I could share with you that Bridget would apprecIate" Allie winked as Frankie almost choked on her laughter.

"Nah seriously Allie… what's your magic number" Boomer asked again.

"You really want to know that bad Boom's?" Allie asked nervously, sighing when Boomer nodded excitedly.

"I lost count after it reached 400.. but like I said, there is only one that matters" Allie confessed nervously, not daring to look Bea in the eye and seeing the horror and disgust in them.

"Shit… now my 5 seems tiny, I reckon I have some catching up to do! Liz?" Boomer asked, turning the attention away from Allie who was looking extremely uncomfortable.

"A lady doesn't kiss and tell" Liz advised wisely.

"well that's nice for a lady, but I was asking you" Boomer smirked, receiving more laughter as Liz flicked her the finger.

"One, just the father of my two beautiful children" Liz grinned, glad that she didnt have an embarrassing number.

"Maxi?" Boomer asked.

"Four and a half" Maxine grinned.

"How the hell do you get a half, wanking a guy off doesn't count, otherwise I'd be a lot higher than 5!"

"I have slept with four people, and the half is the woman carrying my child, who I obviously haven't slept with, but she has to count in there somewhere, I mean she is the mother of my unborn child" Maxi grinned as Boomer hugged her tightly.

"Come on Gov, you're the only one still to answer, don't wuss out on us" Boomer giggled as the woman in question rolled her eyes in amusement.

"That is a secret I will take to my grave" Vera grinned.

"Or until you give her a few tequilas" Frankie suggested, receiving a playful slap from the woman sat beside her.

Having finally gotten her hair finished, Bea walked to Allie who was sitting quietly on the couch, barely listening to the antics anymore.

"Baby you were honest with me before we got together, I always knew your number would be high. It doesn't matter to me ok. Like you said, there is only the one that matters" Bea whispered as she leaned in and kissed Allie's lips, leaving no trace of doubt that her confession had definitely not changed the way the older woman looked at her.

"Thanks baby" Allie smiled sheepishly when they broke apart. Bea watched in wonder at the adorable uncertainty that was written across Allie's face, an unusual sight for her to see. She leaned forward again, capturing the blonde's lips in a hungry kiss.

"Oh shit, here they go. Miss Bennett I don't suppose you brought any ear plugs did you? You really don't want to hear what comes next" Boomer grinned, receiving a playful kick from Bea who pulled away from Allie's lips, but remained resting against Allie who wrapped her arm protectively around Bea's shoulders.

"Jealousy's a bitch Boom's" Allie grinned.

"Hah jealous… it's like having Frankie back when she was bumping uglies with Kim… if it wasn't her keeping us awake all night with moaning, then it's you two, some of us need our beauty sleep, you bloody lezzo's don't seem to understand that" Boomer laughed not realizing what she had said until a box of tissues hit her in the head, she glanced in the direction they had come from to find Frankie glaring at her before motioning towards Bridget.

"Ahh shit sorry Bridge… I didn't think, God I'm a fucking idiot" Boomer grimaced, feeling terrible.

"Don't worry about it Booms, just be glad you don't live next door to us, I'm pretty sure I give Kim a run for her money" Bridget smiled, trying to ease the woman's discomfort and upset at herself, she knew Boomer had messed up by accident and wouldn't have made a comment like that to hurt her intentionally.

Boomer cracked up when she saw the shocked expression on Frankie's face at Bridget's retort.

"Hey Frankie, I think you've met your match with her" Boomer giggled.

"Yeah I think Gidge has forgotten that she's a psych and is meant to listen not talk" Frankie laughed softly, still reeling from BrIdgets honestly, Bridget had admitted that when she first bumped into Kim she had been jealous, and the incident with Kim calling her a scrag in expensive clothes that was shagging her woman, in the middle of a group session... but she hadn't expected such an open and dominating comment from her fiance.

The women laughed amongst themselves, forgetting that they were supposed to be on different sides of the bars, none of them noticed the cameras had already started rolling and were capturing their antics.


	27. Chapter 27

"Frankie, you served your time at Wentworth. How do you think your time in this institute helped to prepare you for the outside world?" the blonde TV presenter asked.

"I don't think there is anything that could prepare you for the changes between prison life and living on the outside. I was one of the lucky ones who had people like Miss Westfall and Miss Bennett who took the time to guide me into preparing for who I needed to be in order to survive out there. If it wasn't for the educational programs and of course the support system that has been put in place, I fear that my time on the outside would have been short. I was lucky enough to have people there who taught me to appreciate my self worth, and to believe in myself. I owe my professional success to them as much as to myself" Frankie smiled and Bridget couldn't help but swoon as she watched her partner's natural charm echo throughout the unit.

"and Governor Bennett, you must be proud of everything that Frankie has achieved, she was the first inmate to be released on parole under your management, and I think that it fair to say, that she has set a very high standard for the other prospective parolee's to follow"

Vera smiled proudly at Frankie as she nodded.

"I'm extremely proud of all the successes Frankie has had, and will continue to have. I wish I could take credit for everything that she has achieved, but in all honesty, the only person who can take credit is Frankie. She was offered the tools, but it was her who did the hard work, Frankie will be the first to agree with me that she wasn't the easiest of inmates in our care, but when you see the young woman sat before you today, it gives you hope that every woman in our care has the ability to turn their life around if they utilise their time wisely and put in some effort. We are not crazy enough to think that we can change every woman's life, but when you see success stories like Frankie's, it gives the women hope and inspiration to strive for the stars for themselves. I have had the pleasure of getting to work professionally with Frankie, and know that with her leading Legal Aid's new offender reform programme, a lot more women will have the opportunity to grasp for the freedom they have earned and will have a real chance at a new life on the outside, and I am so excited to continue working with her to amend the way the system works to help offenders reform and take control of their own futures" Frankie smiled as she watched her friend speak confidently, watching as her hand sat on her lap playing with the anxiety bracelet that Bridget had convinced her to try.

"Boomer, we discussed your pregnancy a little earlier, but I would like to ask you what steps you have been taking towards your future should your upcoming parole be granted" Boomer felt her heart jump into her mouth, she hadn't seen this question on the prep sheet and so hadn't worked out an answer to give, she glanced to Frankie nervously who grabbed her hand supportively.

"Well.. I have been doing a lot of work with Miss Westfall to resolve my anger issues, it's been a long time coming, but the prison has finally gotten a psych who I feel comfortable speaking too... and Miss Westfall has been amazing, and has given me so many techniques to help me calm myself down and allow me to think before I react" Boomer nodded. When she felt Frankie's hand squeeze her own lightly, she knew she needed to add more. Frankie had coached all of them that the people who would be responsible for granting their paroles would be watching this show, and therefore they needed to grab this opportunity with both hands to start pleading their cases early.

"I have also been looking into the educational programmes, I have yet to make a final selection... but I'm leaning towards hospitality... it's my hope that I can get a certificate under my belt so that when I can get out of here, I can get a decent job that will pay a steady wage that will help me support myself and my growing family. I have already established a support network on the outside, after cutting all ties with my old friends. I want a fresh start, for me, Maxi and this little Rugrat. Once I get out there, I don't ever plan on coming back on the inside" Boomer nodded pleased with herself for following Frankie's prompts about not swearing and thinking about how she phrased things to make herself sound as intelligent and worthy of parole as possible.

"And what about you Bea, what are your plans for the outside?"

"Well I have been sentenced to life without parole, so there will be no outside for me. But I plan to use my time on the inside to make a difference. So many young girls come through those gates, and they all find themselves in the same pile of crap, regardless of how they got here. I can only think about if it had been me that passed away instead of my daughter, and she found herself locked up in a place like this, I could only pray that there would be someone who would take her under her wing and help her get back on the straight and narrow. I know what it feels like to be facing the rest of my life without the chance of being free. I want to make that worth something, I want to make it mean something instead of it just being another waste of existence" Bea confessed.

"Allie, as Bea's partner, it must be hard for you to imagine that one day you will be free from Wentworth, but at the cost of your relationship. Does it concern you that with Bea being inside for life you will be at a risk of reoffending?"

Allie had been dreading this question and still wasn't sure how to answer it.

"When your locked up inside, its like you live in this whole other bubble, and the prospect of getting out is like the prospect of heaven, it doesn't seem real despite how much you believe in it. I still have ten years of my sentence to go before I need to worry about reoffending or what it will mean for our relationship. But I'm already a better person than I was before I came in here, for the first time in my life I feel like I have a home, and a constant. And that is my main focus for now. Keeping sober, keeping my head down... working through my issues with Miss Westfall so that in 10 years time when I have to face these problems, I don't need to worry about the pressure getting to me and my sobriety paying the price for it. I do know that if I reoffended and got sent back inside, Bea would be extremely upset and disappointed in me, unfortunately this is a problem that us women face when we build relationships with the other women, whether it be of a sexual nature or of a platonic nature" Allie summarised, she could feel her heart pounding in her chest, she relaxed slightly as she felt Bea's hand rest lightly against her back, providing her with an unspoken support.

"Miss Westfall, how do you plan to keep helping the women? What do you think is important to help them reform?"

Bridged smiled confidently at the blonde woman, who had been spending an awful lot of time checking out her fiancée. "Well Tina..." Bridget smiled despite wanting to throttle the woman she was smiling at. "The most important aspect of helping the women, is to get them to understand the importance of helping themselves. I hold regular sessions with the inmates, and make myself available several times a week for open sessions where the women can just drop in for a chat or to discuss something that has just come up. Its important for the lines of communication to always be open, and for the women to build trust at their own pace. The psychology field evolves on a daily basis as experts around the world make new break throughs and new techniques are created to help battle the variety of issues that women in general face. We try to keep up with the evolution at Wentworth, and with Governor Bennett's assistance, we are able to sample new techniques to see how the women respond to them. We are currently holding art therapy lessons twice a week where the women are encouraged to just paint or draw whatever they are feeling, you would be surprised by the effectiveness of such a simple strategy. And we have quite a few budding artists amongst the women who have built up enough confidence within the sessions, that they have begun to study art through the educational programmes. Its simple techniques like this that enable the officers to open opportunities for self development and character strengthening which later on leads to the women adapting to their surroundings and looking forward to what happens next when they are able to gain their freedom"

"We will be back after this short ad break, where we will be delving further into life behind bars, and will be sharing a surprise for one of the women. Don't go away" Tina smiled into the camera before the director called cut, informing everyone to take a ten minute break before they filmed the next segment.

Bridget dashed to the toilet whilst she could, returning to find the blonde presenter practically all over Frankie. She was running her fingers down Frankie's tattoo sleeve. Bridget could feel her blood boiling, but knew that it would be a big mistake for her to react in the way she wanted to, she was relieved when Boomer and Maxine approached her with a sympathetic smile.

"That slag has been all over Frankie since the second that stuck up knob called cut" Boomer announced. "You should have seen it Bridget, Frankie kept edging away from her and she just kept creeping towards her like a tiger after a deer" Bridget rested a hand on Boomer's arm, sensing the upset in Frankie's best friend.

"Boom's its fine, Frankie is a big girl and can handle herself. And I trust her, don't worry ok. I'm not" Bridget lied, she had noticed how much younger the blonde was, and how attractive she was, and how her asset's all pointed in the right direction. She couldn't help but feel a little jealous that someone far younger and attractive than her was hitting on her fiancé, but she knew she had to trust Frankie.

"You sure? I can go boonta on the bitch" Boomer giggled, shrugging when Maxi and Bridget threw her a warning glance.

"I'm joking! As if I would do something like that and put Rugrat at risk... I'd love to wipe that flirty smirk off her face though" Boomer confessed quietly.

Bridget watched out of the corner of her eye as Frankie pointed in their direction, the blonde whipped around throwing a dirty look towards Bridget, running her eyes up and down her, sizing up her competition. Frankie took the distraction to slip past the blonde and flee her advances glaring at Bea who found the situation hilarious.

"Like flies to shit" Bea grinned, laughing when Frankie gave her the finger without missing a stride.

"Hey Booms, Hey Maxi... Gidge can I borrow you for a sec" Frankie nodded towards a quiet corner and walked off before any of the three women had a chance to respond to her.

"You could have come and rescued me" Frankie glared when they were alone.

"You're a big girl, you can look after yourself" Bridget repeated with a sigh.

"Seriously Gidge the woman is a bloody lunatic, I'm over there dropping your name every 3 seconds, flashing my engagement ring in her face, moving away from her to get some distance and she just keeps coming at me, like I'm a piece of meat to her... you've gotta keep her away from me" Frankie frowned when Bridget grinned.

"What?" Frankie finally asked.

"You... you're cute. Wanting me to save you from the hot blonde who wants you" Bridget giggled at the absurdity of it.

"You think she's hot Gidge? Really?" Frankie asked jealously as she glanced at the blonde to size her up, growling when the blonde winked at her.

"I think she's attractive yes, and go back 2 years, you would have been shagging her in your cell by now" Bridget grimaced at the thought.

"Maybe two years ago I would have... but this isn't two years ago... I don't want some dipshit hitting me up and trying to get in my pants, I just want you to get in my pants" Frankie whispered, glaring when Bridget laughed softly at her pout.

Frankie stomped off, leaving Bridget surprised. Deciding give Frankie some space, she returned to Maxi and Boomer who were now lost in conversation with Vera and Bea, the latter watching as Frankie practically frog marched her own girlfriend away, both women speaking animatedly as they whispered at each other.

"Allie I need your help... that fucking presenter is all over me like a fucking rash and won't take any of the hints I'm dropping her, I keep talking about Gidge, I've been flashing my engagement ring, I've been trying to avoid her and not let her get close... what the hell do I do, I've never really had to do this kind of thing before, normally I would just fuck her and make sure I'm gone before she wakes up... I don't think that's going to work in this situation unless I actually want Gidge to murder me"

"Jesus Frankie. Slow down. Just tell her your not interested" Allie grinned.

"Great idea blondie... why didn't I think of that... oh wait I did... she just ignored me and kept on flirting" Frankie sighed.

"Ok well tell her you're taken and make sure she knows its with Bridget" Allie suggested, her smile now gone as she realised how worked up Frankie was getting.

"Yeah I tried that too... she just started going on about how she would never need to know and we owed it to the universe to get it on as two hot women blah blah blah" Frankie threw her arms up in frustration, growling as she caught the woman in the corner of her eye lingering, waiting for an opportunity to interrupt the conversation.

"Look honestly Frankie, if it was me I would be walking up to Bea and making sure that the blonde bitch got the idea clearly set in her mind... but you cant really do that here so I guess your just going to have to keep avoiding her for the next few hours" Allie had barely finished her sentence before Frankie turned and stomped away from her, she followed her trying to catch up. Watching in amazement as Frankie grabbed Bridget's hand and led her straight into her old cell, which now happened to be Allie's cell. Leaving the door wide open and making sure she pushed Bridget against the wall in a place where the blonde would be able to see, she claimed Bridget's lips in a searing kiss. Feeling Bridget's legs weaken beneath her, Frankie grabbed her waist to help support her, sighing into the kiss when she felt Bridget's arms snake around her neck and pull her deeper into the kiss.

After several minutes Frankie finally pulled away, smirking seductively at Bridget who looked at her questioningly.

"I've always wanted to do that in here" Frankie grinned caused Bridget to laugh.

"What the hell was that about?" Bridget asked as she pushed Frankie back slightly so she could look in her eyes but remain in their embrace.

"I just wanted that bitch out there to get it into her head that I'm not in the slightest interested in anyone that isn't you... Allie told me to do it, blame her" Frankie giggled.

"Blame her or thank her...do you know how many times I imagined you pushing me into your cell and claiming me like that... way, way hot babe" Bridget grinned and pecked Frankie's lips affectionately, making it clear that she wasn't angry about Frankie's little display. And why would she be? They had nothing to hide anymore. It was no longer against any rules and therefore their love wouldn't jeopardise Frankie's freedom or Bridget's job.

"I love you Gidge... I promise I didn't encourage her, I know I can be a flirt sometimes, but I swear to you I only flirt with those who know its in jest now. Our friends who know how in love with you I am, and know that its just meant as banter and nothing else. I didn't encourage her" Frankie whispered sadly.

"Hey I trust you... and that's why I didn't rip her pretty little head off when I saw her all over you. Because I trust you and know that you wouldn't disrespect me like that. Its not who you are babe" Bridget soothed, her smile growing when she saw the acknowledgement in Frankie's eyes.

"Come on, lets get back out there... and if you feel like she's still stalking you, feel free to do this again... very hot" Bridget grinned as she motioned around the cell, placing a chaste kiss against Frankie's lips, she took her hand and led her back towards their friends who were watching them in amusement.

"It appears my girlfriend doesn't know how to give good advice" Bea apologised when the two Mrs would approve of" Allie winked caused Frankie to laugh.

"Oh shit" Bea grimaced, waiting till she had the attention of all the women before continuing.

"Its just dawned on me that my girlfriend is the blonde Frankie... how the hell did that happen"

"Told you that you had the hots for me Red... glad your finally admitting it" Frankie laughed loudly as she wrapped her arm playfully around Allie's waist, winking at Bea to get a reaction.

"It's a good job I know you love Bridget, otherwise I would be breaking your arm right now" Bea laughed.

"Ahh well.. on that topic, I heard something mentioned about double dating... now are we going to be wife swapping or are we just going to mix it all up and get it on together as a foursome?" Frankie asked, receiving several grimaces, an elbow to her ribs and a glare from Bridget, and an amused laugh from Vera and Bea and a kiss to the head from Allie.

"I love you Frankie... you come up with the best lines" Allie laughed ignoring Bea's glare.

"I love too Alliecat... Wanna come back to my cell?" Frankie laughed.

"You realize your fiancée is stood right here and can hear you right?" Bridget glared playfully, happy to have her cheerful, flirty and self sure Frankie back.

"And her girlfriend is stood right here and will happily kick your skinny arse" Bea laughed, ignoring the glares the presenter was throwing their way.

"Hah I let you win last time Red, I won't be kind next time" Frankie grinned, throwing a wink a Bea.

"Don't worry Frankie, she's all talk…she can't fight for shit anymore" Allie grinned, loving being a part of this dynamic relationship between Bea's closest friends. Bea looked pointedly at her girlfriend, her right eyebrow raising in challenge.

"Try it Queenie... I'll get Frankie to kick your arse" Allie grinned, she could read the oncoming attack in Bea's eyes.

"Shit, are you two always this sickly sweet. I thought this was a prison, not a playground" Frankie laughed, dodging the elbow Allie aimed at her stomach.

"That's it... I ain't protecting you anymore, Red... she's all yours. I'll go crawling back to Gidge" Frankie laughed.

"Your just as bad as they are" Bridget grinned.

"Hey... no fair, what did I do wrong?" Frankie pouted.

"Hey Alliecat wanna go back to my cell" Bridget mocked, faking Frankie's voice and trademark smirk pretty accurately.

"Jealous?" Frankie laughed as she clutched at Bridget's hand, her thumb subconsciously rubbing over the engagement ring on Bridget's finger.

"Oh yeah... so jealous, I'm just waiting to see Bea kick your arse for hitting on her girl" Bridget laughed.

"Gidge are you serious... have you seen my guns lately. I could kick Bea's arse easy" Frankie laughed cocksure.

"$20 on Bea" Boomer whispered to Vera who smirked back in response.

"You know what Boom's, I will take that bet. But lets make it more interesting hey..." Vera raised her eyebrow suggestively before pulling Boomer aside.

"Bea, you feeling 100% better now?" Vera asked with a smile when she returned to the group.

"Physically... hell yeah, which is why I know I could kick this scrawny scrags arse" Bea laughed.

"And Frankie... you're feeling ok right?" Boomer asked. Causing the women to quickly quieten down and pay attention to what was going on.

"After filming, we were thinking we could settle this once and for all... Doyle vs Smith, who is the ultimate top dog, and who is the whiny little bitch" Boomer laughed. Bridget glanced at Vera shocked at what the two women were suggesting.

"Jesus Bridge, we aren't organizing a full on prison brawl" Vera laughed. "Were suggesting a small wrestling match... no weapons... no punches... just tap outs"

"I'm in" Frankie grinned without pause.

"Me too" Bea smiled at Frankie.

"Babe... for gods sake... you have just been handed an amazing promotion at your firm... your dream job... what do you think Phil would say if he found out about this?" Bridget warned.

"He would be saying, good girl, and placing a bet on me to win" Frankie laughed.

"Your an idiot!" Bridget announced much to Boomer's amusement.

"Come on Gidge its just a bit of fun between friends, don't get you knickers in a knot hey" Frankie soothed, watching as Bridget shrugged her shoulders.

"Ok so what's on the line" Bea asked in interest.

"Well if Frankie wins, Boomer has volunteered to host a group session for a month on anger management" Vera grinned.

"Aww don't worry Boom's, if that happens Bea can be the first to sign up" Allie laughed.

Ignoring her girlfriends jibe, Bea asked "and if I win?"

"Oh this is gold...if Bea wins then Vinegar Tits and me will be swapping for the day... you'll have to call me Gov and everything" Boomer laughed.

"Shit I would throw the match just to see that" Frankie laughed.

"So how does this work?" Bea asked.

"We do three rounds. First to tap out loses. No weapons. No dirty tactics, and no injuries" Vera warned seriously.

"TIME" a show runner yelled, notifying the women to end their conversation and return to their seats. Frankie made sure to walk the entire way next to Bridget, still sending a silent message for the TV presenter that she wasn't interested.

"Welcome back and thank you for joining us, we are here in Wentworth Correctional Facility discussing with the inmates of H1, Governor Bennett, Forensic Psychologist Miss Westfall, and Deputy Jackson, as well as reformed inmate Frankie Doyle. So, Mr Jackson, what's it like working in a place full of women?"

"It has it's interesting moments, on the whole I get on with the women quite well, most of the time, we have an understanding that if they respect me and respect the uniform, then I will return the gesture and show them respect also, and most women respond well to this. There are obviously those who just go out looking for trouble, some who are misguided and think that all they deserve is trouble, and unfortunately there are those women who have suffered at the hands of a man, and unfortunately struggle to deal with having an authorative male in their presence. But I love this job, especially when you see cases like Frankie Doyle who has turned her whole life around, it's humbling to know that you have played a part in that story, regardless of how big or small it may be, you have helped someone turn their life around, get their act together, and re-join the outside world as a better person than you were when you were taken away from that world" Will flashed a smile that he knew would have several women calling him upon the documentary being aired.

"and what are your opinions of rumours of male prison officers working within female facilities, who are abusing that power to manipulate the inmates for their own sexual gain?"

"Well, unfortunately my knowledge on this matter isnt as up to scratch as it could be as it is not something that I have ever been exposed to, nor participated in. However I do have a very strong personal opinion on it. It happens, of course it does, however it isnt just male prison officers that are guilty of using their sexual prowess against the inmates, there are female officers who are guilty of it to. My opinion is that anybody who is doing this job for power, for gain, for what opportunities they can access from the women, for control, or for access to sex, they shouldn't be able to do this career, they should probably be in an institution themselves. Myself, and the many other officers on Miss Bennett's team work damn hard to gain the trust and respect of the women, we work even harder to get them to trust and respect themselves, to make an effort into being a better person, a person worthy of life in the outside world, and to know that there are officers who abuse their position and power and destroy all that work that we and the women have done, just infuriates and saddens me" Will seethed, this question hadnt been on his prep sheet and it felt like a personal attack on him. He glanced towards Vera and Frankie on his right and saw that they were both nodding and smiling proudly at his handling of the question, they could see that he was a little frazzled by it.

"Liz, you've been inside for longer than any of the other women here, do you think that you will be successful on the outside?"

"Yes that's true. I received parole a year and a half ago, and unfortunatly due to some circumstances, I found myself back on the inside. Since then I have been fortunate enough to get back in contact with my beautiful daughter, and reconnect with her. I look forward very much to being able to get back on the outside and reconnecting with my son. Im getting to be an old woman now, I'm tired of life on the inside, and I am more determined than ever to get out there and make my kid's proud to call me mum again, I have never been so determined to stay sober, and when I get on the outside, my first port of call will be to join a sobrietry programme and get the support I need" Liz informed wisely.

"Why do you need to wait till you're on the outside to do that?"

"Unfortunatly, AA isnt something that many people need to deal with on the inside, so it's not something that the prison board choose to invest money into, they have instead invested the money in issues that are more confronting and affect the women in their day to day inside lives. I suppose it isnt the best solution, especially for people like myself who battle with alcohol dependency and having to go cold turkey without support, but to know that the women who are dependant on drugs get that support is a relief." Liz tried to not drop the Governor into any shit with her answer to a question that she wasn't prepared for.

"Miss Bennett, what is your stance on drug's within Wentworth's units?"

at "That is a very good question, my stance is a zero tollerence for drugs, I have no space for drugs on my units, and I have no desire for any of the women under my care to be suffering with the issues that come with drug using. Unfortunatly there will always be ways to bring drugs into prison, it doesn't matter how careful we are, or how stringent we are. All we can do is keep on top of it, keep tracking down the way's that they are bringing drugs in and shut down that avenue. To keep monitioring staff and visitors who may be bringing drugs in, and have them removed and banished from the facility. It is a never ending cycle that we are constantly battling" Vera answered.

"So you're saying that you don't want them in, but your hands are tied?"

"Sorry Vera, let me take this one" Frankie interupted. "It is well known that during my time in Wentworth I was responsible for having drugs brought in, there is literally no way the prison service can stop this, it's impossible. There will always be a way in, there will always be a way to sneak it through, and there will always be another way to get it in. The real solution here is for the addicts, the recovering addicts and the suppliers to receive the support needed to break their reliance on the drugs. For an addict, that reliance is in the drugs itself. Giving them a reason to get clean, giving them an avenue to get clean safely, giving them a support network to help them beat the withdrawels, in the short term and the long term. Giving them methods to help themselves battle the addiction, giving them something to occupy their time and mind, giving them therapy to deal with the problems that are the cause for starting drugs and remaining on drugs, providing them with the tools to change their situation so that the need and reliance on drugs wont be the same as before. For the recovering addicts, we need to provide a safe area for them where they arent at risk of drugs being consistently in their face, continued support on their recovery and their diminished reliance on drugs, support systems for when they feel like caving, and they will feel like caving and relapsing at some point. Rewards for them breaking the habit and continuing to break the habit, something for them to be proud of, to strive for, something that they can look forward to. For the dealers and suppliers, this is by far the hardest task, as most dealers arent addicted to the stuff they are pushing. They need something to focus their attention on, something that will make them want to change. Someone who provides them with the will to try. A way to break that reliance on the money and see that there are far more important things out there. Until we are able to do all of these things, Miss Bennett will never be able to effectively remove drugs from the prison, and without the support from programmes like my own programme, 'Offender Rehabilitation', and without the hard work of mental health professionals like Miss Westfall who the women trust, and without the effort and respect of prison professionals like Miss Bennet and Mr Jackson. Instead of focussing our energy on a task that will never be accomplishable, we should be working together to fix the real issue, and I believe that is exactly what the team at Wentworth are trying to do, but with lack of funding, and without support from other programmes and institutions, it is making their jobs extremely hard. If you think that you have a way to help Miss Bennet with her war against drugs, please contact me through the Legal Aid office" Frankie smiled towards Vera who nodded in approval at Frankie's support at the unscripted question that had put her on the spot.

"Thankyou Frankie, for anyone who wishes to contact Frankie with regards to this documentary and any help or support you may be able to give on the drugs, or any other rehabilitation topics, her contact details will be provided at the end of the show, and you will also be able to find them on our website. Now, we have a surpise for Bea. I would like to welcome Phil Walsh to the set"

Frankie glanced confused towards her boss who strode confidently towards her, with a wink as a show runner placed a chair next to Frankies for him to sit on.

"Thanks for having me" Phil grinned, loving that he had been able to keep this surprise from Frankie until now.

"Phil, you are a partner at Legal Aid, the firm which employed Miss Doyle after her release from prison, is that correct?"

"Yes, indeed it is. Frankie is the first reformed inmate that we have employed at our firm, and after seeing her success, the standard of her work, the energy and effort that she puts into every case, we would be more than willing to employ any future reformed inmates. She is a shining star, and has infact recently received a promotion to head up our 'Reformed Offender' programme, in which she liaises with prison's around the Melbourne area and provides support and legal advice to offenders who she believes have either served an appropriate amount of time for their crime and are in a position to be returned to the world, or inmates who she believes have been sentenced incorrectly, or charged wrongly, and will help them have their sentences quashed" Phil smiled proudly at Frankie who was blushing and staring at her hands.

"Now, we were told that you have a surprise for Bea and Frankie, but the details have been kept extremely quiet, would you like to elaborate on what your surprise is?"

"Yes I would. After initiating the department which Frankie is successfully heading up, I spent a lot of time speaking with several friends in high places, as well as contacts in other firms. With the help of these amazing people, we have managed to create a fund which will be used for reformed offenders and young people who have been released from Juvinile Detention in order to help them get their feet on the ground and stay on the ground. As you can hear from Frankie's answers, this is a topic that is extremely close to her heart, and she is the reason that I initiated this cause, which will be open for public donations as of today. If you would like any information on this cause, would like to donate time, money, support, or inform the team of any employment, educationial, or support systems which you may be able to help with" Phil smiled warmly.

"And how does this affect Bea?"

"Well not only does this cause help to support reformed inmates, and inmates who will be attempting for release, it will also support friends and familes of the inmates, helping the people closest to the offenders get the help and support they need, as well as educating them in the support they will provide the reformed offenders. Because of this, we have decided to dedicate the cause to a very special person who was impacted in the worst way by being a family member of an offender. As of this morning, the 'Dream for Debbie Memorial Institution' officially began" Phil grinned proudly.

"Bea, how do you feel about this?"

Bea paled at the news, tears began to flow down her face at the shock of somebody she didn't know doing something so beautiful for her and her daughter. She took a deep breath and tried to formulate a response from her buzzing mind.

"Phil, firstly thankyou, it means more than you could ever know that you would name this institution after my daughter. She was the definition of 'victim of circumstance' and although nothing will ever replace the loss of her life, nor make up for the future in which she lost, I am so proud that her memory will go on in a way that will help so many people. It is a beautiful tribute Phil, and I cant thank you enough" Bea sobbed as Allie stood up and wrapped her arms lovingly around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.


	28. Chapter 28

"I can't believe your allowing this!" Bridget muttered to Vera for the hundredth time as they watched Will draw a circle in chalk on the gym mats.

"Gidge calm down… its just a bit of fun between friends, no one is going to get hurt" Frankie laughed as she rubbed Bridget's arm. The news of a wrestling match between the two former top dogs, had spread quickly around the prison and the gym was packed with inmates excitedly awaiting the free entertainment.

Vera had noticed several of the women placing wagers with their meager belongings and had warned the officers to turn a blind eye to it this once, it was a way for all the women to blow off some steam without any injuries or turf wars coming into play, so she decided to let the women relax a little and enjoy themselves.

"Right ladies…. We are ready. I'm going to repeat the rules just one more time before we begin" Will called, smiling as the entire room silenced. It was a nice change for all the women to be paying attention without him having to yell, he marveled at how Vera had seized the opportunity to involve the other women and from the looks of how everyone was behaving, he couldn't help but think it was a genius play by the Governor which would only gain her respect amongst the inmates. Shaking his head from the thoughts his H1 friends had put into his head about Vera, he cleared his throat.

"There will be three rounds, the winner of two or more will be the champion. To win you must either remove your opponent from the ring, or the opponent must tap out. If I think there is any risk of injury I will end the round and decide the winner, if there is no clear winner, the round will be reset. There is to be no interference from anyone else. Fair wrestling only… no punching, kicking, eye-gouging or scratching... bets will close when both women enter the ring… when your ready ladies, come on up" Will grinned at the whistles and applause that erupted around the room.

"You don't need to do this Bea" Allie grinned as she watched Bea rake her hair back, the way she did when she was stepping into top dog mode and meant business. The woman in front of her completely oblivious to the fact that she was re enacting her trademark preparations. Bea winked at Allie, pecking her lips quickly before walking into the ring to stand in front of Mr Jackson, a calm confidence she couldn't explain washing over her. She looked to Frankie, who seemed to be getting a telling off from Bridget again. Bridget rolled her eyes at the playful smirk Frankie wore, knowing she wouldn't be able to change her partners mind

"it'll be right Gidge… it's all part of my plan" Frankie winked cheekily, turning to walk to the ring and leaving a bemused and confused Bridget behind. 'What bloody plan?' Was all Bridget could think.. but it was a welcome distraction from the worry that was filling her mind about Frankie being injured.

"Alright both women are in the ring… bets are closed… ladies shake hands" Will smiled, loving the atmosphere he found himself in.

Frankie grabbed Bea's hand with a smirk as she winked at Bea. "it's taken me a long time to get you to agree to roll around with me and get all hot and sweaty Red"

Bea felt herself blush slightly at the wolf whistles and cat calls began, understanding straight away from the glimmer of mischief in Frankie's eyes that this was her plan to set her off edge. Shaking her head in amusement she stepped back and allowed herself to look embarrassed, letting Frankie think that her plan had worked.

"Alright here we go… round one… keep it clean ladies and fight" will exaggerated the last word allowing his voice to shout as he stepped out of the way, wondering to himself if he had missed his calling as a professional fighting announcer.

Frankie leapt forward the second Will stepped out of her way, grabbing Bea's arms and stepping forward, throwing her leg behind Bea and pushing her backwards over it, keeping a firm hold of the forearms in her grasp. Bea hit the floor with a dull thud, her breath escaping her lungs as her back hit the mat and she found Frankie straddling her and trying to pull her arms in to pin them down, Frankie's face was full of focus at the effort it took to keep Bea down as the older woman regained her composure arms began struggling to free herself.

Frankie upped her effort, her legs clamping down on Bea's to minimize her effort to unbalance her, she looked into Bea's eyes drumming up all her anger from her past so it would show in her eyes, she watched as Bea's eyes closed slightly in a glare as she wriggled and fought to get free. Frankie wrapped her hands tighter as the slid them to Bea's wrists and pulled them to the side of Bea's brown curls, silencing the cheering and heckling from their spectators, she moved her body weight, knowing she had Bea pinned. She intensified her glare, drawing every hurtful memory from her brain she intensified her glare, trying her hardest to look as dangerous and vicious as possible, focusing intently on the woman beneath her who was beginning to tire, her eyes opening slightly in fear. She watched as Bea's eyes unfocussed slightly before glassing over as she began thrashing angrily. She knew her plan was working as she saw Bea begin to fight like the top dog she used to be, her effort to free herself causing Frankie to have to focus on staying on top of her.

"You back with me now Red?" Frankie growled breathlessly as she saw Bea's eyes refocus, the woman beneath her simply nodded in understanding, getting that this was Frankie's attempt to help her regain more memories by reminding her of all the times she had been backed into a corner and had to fight for survival, and it had worked better than Frankie could have expected as Bea was flooded with memories of their fight for top dog, of being beaten by Jacs Holts crew, of finding Allie unconscious in the shower rooms, of Ferguson admitting to her that she was responsible, of attacking kaz after Allie's attack, of confronting the freak outside of the prison, in a confusing flurry of images, it came back to her as she fought against the attacks in her head before hearing Frankie's voice close to her. Her eyes focused on the younger brunette as she nodded her head and tapped her pinned hand against the mat.

"Smith has tapped out. Round one goes to Doyle" Will announced, laughing at the abuse he received from the Bea supporters.

Frankie jumped up, holding her hand out to Bea, who grabbed it and pulled herself up, her eyes telling Frankie all the younger woman needed to know about her plan being successful.

"two minute reset. Get a drink and catch your breath" Will announced and both women nodded.

"Come on Bea you can take out Frankie, she's gone soft in her release" Boomer grinned as she called out loud enough for Frankie to overhear, laughing as the ex inmate threw her the birdie as she grabbed her drink bottle and tried to drink and breath at the same time.

"You ok babe?" Allie asked, seeing the change in Bea's eyes, they looked stronger now, harder, more like the eyes she had fallen in love with originally, than the eyes she was used to seeing since Bea's memory loss.

"Frankie is a sly bitch" Bea laughed. "She planned this… she wanted me to remember the shit I have been up against in here. When she had me pinned down, so many memories came back. It actually hurt my head a bit" Bea confessed as she wiped away her sweat on a towel before accepting the water bottle that Liz was holding out for her.

"let's call it off then love.. if your heads hurting you shouldn't carry on" Liz patted her warm, damp shoulder lovingly.

"and let her win… no way. It's time to show everyone that Queen Bea is back" Bea grinned at Liz before winking at Allie and walking back to the ring to await round two.

"Doyle you're up" Will called to speed the ex inmate up.

Frankie nodded and handed her bottle and towel to Doreen and turned to start back towards the ring before being pulled back. She felt the lips crash against her own in a dominative, searing kiss. The cheering and wolf whistles erupting around them caused her to jump in shock as she pulled away and glanced at Bridget questionly who just shrugged with a slightly embarrassed smile at all the attention their kiss had gained.

"the fuck Gidge?" Frankie asked, blushing slightly as she watched her partner lean into her ear, her lips getting close enough to brush against her fiancé's lobe as she whispered seductively.

"you have never looked hotter than you do right now… and make sure you bring your fighting attire home with you, I think we might need it later" Bridget pulled back with a smirk as she saw the desire in Frankie's darkened eyes, the younger woman speechless as she gulped and nodded as she watched Bridget's eyes travel down up and down her teal clad body, Vera had organized for a set of teal's for her so that she wouldn't ruin her nice clothes.

"I knew it" Juice smirked as she walked past her, Frankie glared at her, seeing the smug smile on the perverted face in front of her, she shook her head in annoyance and strode off.

"round two….begin" Will called, jumping back.

Frankie made to move forward again, trying the same rushed tactic that had worked for her last time, at the last second Bea jumped to the side, allowing Frankie to fly past her as she tried to throw on the brakes and halt her attack but she wasn't quick enough as Bea pounced on her, throwing her easily to the floor and straddled her back as she grabbed Frankie's arms and pinned them above her head. Frankie bucked against the floor trying to dislodge Bea, impressed that the woman had taken her down so easily.

"I always knew you were a top Red" Frankie called behind her and laughed softly as she moved her feet to give herself some purchase. She smirked as a round of laughter erupted, but it didn't last long, she grimaced as she felt Bea shift slightly, grabbing Frankie's leg and pulling it up till it was bent and she could feel her own foot against her backside. She tried to swallow the yelp of pain that flashed through her leg as Bea applied more pressure.

"and I always know you preferred being on the bottom…. All talk and no action Frankie" Bea smirked, loving the surge of power she felt rushing through her, all feelings of being the victim and being weak slowly washing away from her.

"I'll be your bottom any day baby" Frankie laughed through clenched teeth, trying her hardest to ignore the pain in her leg, she yelped when she felt her right arm being moved effortlessly from above her head to behind her back as Bea began putting pressure with one hand on her leg and the other pushing her arm up her back. Using her newly freed left hand she quickly tapped the mat and relaxed into the mat as she felt Bea release her hold. She rolled onto her back to find Bea stood above her, her eyebrow raised cheekily and a smirk on her lips as she held her hand out waiting for Frankie to take it. Frankie grabbed it and Bea pulled her easily to her feet and into a sweaty hug.

"the Queen is back Doyle" Bea laughed softly into the hug as she patted Frankie's back.

"long live the Queen" Frankie grinned as she pulled away, winking at her friend. "the next round is mine though" Frankie smirked. Striding towards Doreen to grab her towel and water, smiling as Bridget rushed over and began pep talking her, a completely different tune from her earlier nagging.

"Shit Bea… you went boonta on her arse! It was just like the old days" Boomer grinned as she wrapped the towel around Bea's shoulders and began to massage them as Bea gulped from her water bottle.

"Holy shit babe… that was hot!" Allie mumbled when she was close enough for just Bea and Boomer to hear.

"That was me… for the first time in months…I feel alive… I feel like I am me, not just some ghost of myself that's been patched together from memories" Bea smiled softly at her girlfriend.

"I'm glad baby… now go and kick her arse and show every bitch in here that your still a force to be reckoned with" Allie grinned as she pecked Bea's lips, groaning at the saltiness left against her lips and the images of all the other times she had experienced kissing the older woman whilst she was sweaty. Bea grinned knowingly as she saw Allie's eyes twinkle in desire and mouthed a simple 'later' to her before moving back to the ring.

"Ladies round three is about to start, we have a draw with Frankie taking round one and Bea taking round two… whoever wins this round will be titled champion, keep it clean, keep it fair and give it all you have…. Fight" Will called and jumped out of the way for the last time.

The inmates cheered on the two women, calling out the name of the woman they were backing as the two women circled each other on the mat.

"Your finally learning that fast doesn't always win the race Doyle" Bea mocked as she threw a few fake steps in to keep Frankie on her toes.

"Oh don't you worry about me Red… I can go fast and slow, just ask your girlfriend" Frankie grinned as the women around her laughed and Bea glared at her, despite knowing it was a joke between friends, she couldn't help but feel the need to defend Allie's honor and so she leapt forward and grabbed Frankie as she tried to side step her, but Frankie pulled easily from her grasp and stepped out of her reach.

"What's up Red, did I hit a nerve?" Frankie laughed triumphantly.

"You hit all my nerves constantly" Bea grinned. Dodging as Frankie rushed forward she tripped her and jumped on top of her as the younger woman met the mat on her stomach, but this time Frankie didn't wait for Bea to straddle her, she flipped herself onto her back and used her legs to push herself back out of Bea's reach as she jumped back onto her feet, grinning at Bea who was bear crawling towards the spot she had just vacated.

Frankie dashed forward, sliding to her knees as she pulled Bea towards her and down towards the mat, she threw her upper body over Bea's to pin her down, but Bea bucked into her, throwing her clean off her, before Frankie could collect herself, Bea was on top of Frankie again, pinning her waist and feet down with her body as she reached forward to try and capture Frankie's hands. Frankie thought fast and bucked her hips hard into Bea several times, trying to throw her off balance, she grabbed the older woman's hands and tried to pull the down to Bea's hips, but Bea knew she was in a losing position and instead of pulling away from Frankie, like she knew the younger woman would expect, she instead leant forward, weakening Frankie's grasp as she rolled to her left, Frankie tried to jump up but was surprised to find Bea wrapped around her upper body from behind, her hand fumbling for purchase of Frankie's wrists, Frankie tried everything she could to wriggle free, but Bea's hold was solid. She stopped struggling so hard, trying to find a way out of Bea's hold as Bea's hands grabbed for her wrists. Using her feet, Frankie pushed herself back with all her might, succeeding to roll the two of them over, Bea now underneath her with Frankie laid on top of her, Frankie's back pressed into Bea's chest. Bea was relentless as she tried to grab Frankie's hands, her feet lowering from Frankie's hips to Frankie's knees as she pinned the younger womans legs together.

Frankie was pushing at the floor with her hands, trying her hardest to gain some kind of upper hand. Bea fought hard to keep her hold on Frankie as her arms lunged with Frankie's hands, but the younger woman was too fast and kept breaking free of her grasps. Bea could feel herself tiring, she knew at this pace she would run out of steam soon and then Frankie would be able to take her, she changed her arms aim and wrapped them around Frankie's shoulders trying to lower Frankie's ability to move her arms, but Frankie shrugged her off easily, she could feel the burning in her calves and thighs from the constant effort, knowing she only had a minute at best until she was spent, she knew she needed to do something drastic before Frankie took control, so she did the only thing she could think of, she grabbed Frankie's breast, giving it a firm but teasing squeeze and as the younger woman gasped in shock that Bea was fondling her breast, Bea released her hold, spun them both around so she was back on top and Frankie was pinned face down beneath her, she grabbed Frankie's arms and pinned them behind her back and put a light pressure on them.

"Tap out Frankie" Bea grinned as Frankie thrashed against her, trying desperately to get out of the hold a minute passed of Frankie thrashing and Bea remained vigilant, not increasing the pressure on Frankie's arms, but not letting up either. Finally Frankie relaxed, panting hard into the mat.

"Say it" Bea laughed triumphantly.

"Fine… I'm done" Frankie growled.

"Good girl Frankie" Bea let her go and ruffled the younger woman's hair, grinning at the cheers from her supporters. She spun around to help Frankie up and pulled her into a tight hug.

"You dirty cheat" Frankie laughed as she pushed Bea away after a few moments.

"The rules were…. No punching, no kicking and no eye gouging…. No mention of no groping" Bea laughed as she felt Allie slide her arms around her waist and kiss her triumphantly on the cheek.

"You're still a cheat" Frankie laughed, taking Bea's hand and raising it in the air, something she had seen on the movie Rocky and always thought it looked cool.


End file.
